Of His Effection
by Bright Eyed
Summary: He came back, even after everything. He was forgiven, even after all he did. But how will their already scarred relationship stand so many new obstacles? Mpreg, a bit angsty despite myself
1. 1Of all He Could Possibly Take

**This first chapter goes to my dearest new kitten Harvey Milk, who just loves to fall asleep purring on my chest as I write, making me randomly crack up with laughter from his face, which sometimes smells suspiciously of corn chips.**

The title is, in fact, correct. it's like 'effect' and 'affection', for those who didn't get that. ^-^

I don't own Naruto.

Hey guys, I'm back. I was reading over my old story and, really, thank you to all who reviewed and liked it, but to be honest, I hate the plot. Actually, towards the end, I half expected Danzou to remove his hood, smack his fists together and cluck in a whiney, villainous voice "Ah, foiled again!"

Hopefully I've gotten a little better, and this one won't be quite as… shitty as a whole.

If you haven't noticed or you're new to my stories, this story has a prequil. It's long, so if you find this confusing and don't want to read it, ask and i'll write a summary next chapter.

Read on if you dare.

**1**Of All He Could Possibly Take

* * *

_No...No. This wasn't happening. _

_Naruto stood by as Sasuke sat unmoving next to his own sleeping form. They were back by the old scarred tree and, no matter how many times this same damnable scene replayed in his head, it was always the same. _

_The blonde tried it all, shouting, fighting, screaming his heart out, in the end he always just broke down in frustration as Sasuke brushed pale lips against his own sleeping face, looking so sad before disappearing forever._

_It was so unfair._

_It was so unfair for that damn fucking bastard to look so heartbroken, so in love at those last few moments, when Naruto already knew the truth. _

_If Sasuke had really loved him, he wouldn't have left. He wouldn't have wrenched Naruto's already severely wounded, bleeding heart out and ripped it to shreds. That would be past inhuman, so far beyond all remote possibility of love, of having a God damned, fucking _brain_ that it was absolutely impossible. It was. He didn't know how many times he'd had this nightmare, he'd lost count long ago. But even if he woke up sweating with salty tears in his eyes, he knew it had to lose its effect eventually. _

_It just had to. This was no way to live, with these dreams plaguing him everynight. They were inescapeable._

_How could Sasuke have possibly loved him, leaving _again_ like he did, especially after they had for the very first time, and only time, had...sex? After finally realizing and confessing their love? Well, Naruto's love. Sasuke's... he didn't even know what to call it. Indifference? Blind lust? Determination to wrench Naruto's heart into the smallest, most destroyed peices imaginable?_

_Despite the fact that this was only a dream, that the real experience had happened months ago, the phantom heart in his subconcious form, aching deep inside his soul tore again and again and again and again as salt pricked the backs of his eyes and the ghostly consciousness fell to his knees, right before his own sleeping, oblivious face._

_ No matter how many times he relived it, he would never get used to this crushing pain. He would never...the salt had spilled over now; he would never...stop... he could never forget...no matter how many times this heart was broken, beaten and nearly stopped forever by those hands, those eyes, those words, no matter how many times he left, Naruto already knew he would never stop, never forget. He... he still, he would always still...love Sasuke._

X.X.X.X

The blonde squeezed his eyes closed as the clear mask was strapped to his face. He still couldn't believe he'd actually agreed to this. Tsunade had wanted to do an 'exploratory surgery', basically just poking around his insides because of the 'abnormality' found after Sas- that guy had fused Kyuubi and him. She had said that if she found something, she would remove it without hesitation. But… that warmth, that 'abnormality' in his stomach had been his only comfort after…after Sasuke left. It was apparently a mass of Kyuubi's chakra, a mistake made probably during the sealing. Had it been done on purpose, tha bastard not having the balls enough to kill him on the spot to instead mess up the fusing so he wouldn't have to get his hands dirty? No, even if Sasuke had done this, along with so many horrible things, Naruto knew he wasn't bad. He just knew it.

But still...

So did he really want it out?

No, agh, this is stupid. Whatever was in his stomach could be a threat to his life. It needed to be removed. One gauze covered hand inched to rest calloused fingers on his stomach, feeling, perhaps for the last time, the heat react and dance towards his fingertips, a flame of comforting memories in the sharp world.

"Breathe in, Naruto" green eyes stared fondly down at him, the rest of the face covered by a cold surgical mask. "It'll all be over when you wake up."

Somehow, those words that were so obviously meant to be comforting had just made him feel worse. Much, much worse. Even so, large blue eyes closed as the small boy took a deep breath of the sweet gas. It filled his nostrils slowly, like the most intoxicating flower that blossomed sugar on his tongue, fluttering his lids and blackening the world in a blissful, temporary peace.

And there was nothing... nothing... nothing.... beep... beep....... _augh_....

A dulled sting jerked in his stomach as thick blonde lashes cracked to let in a hectic world of whirring machines. The whitewashed walls were dark, splattered with a sickening garnet sheen. What...? He heard mindless shouts in the background, just sounds of panic and desperation, a heartbreaking shock all transmuted through syllable-less noises; the sounds of a frantic struggle.

The world was still spinning, colors blurring together, bleeding into each other to form one motion-sick, dizzy image of darkness and blood and ...Worried amber eyes blocked his view, a sting in his arm. The pale face in front of him was stained, red dripping down one side, his blood? No, it spewed from a gash on her forehead...Tsunade.

What was- the world spun into a circle, colors dimming, flowing together as tunnel vision took over, the world flushed down a drain of empty space. Bliss again in darkness.

----------------------------------------------

Cerulean eyes cracked open to reveal a somber world; afternoon light dripped golden through shuttered hospital windows as Naruto turned to face his visitor. Sakura had busied herself with checking the many monitors, the clear plastic tubes connected to his veins.

"What happened?"

His voice was rough, unused for what seemed like forever. He'd slept without nightmares for the first time in over three months, what could that be about?

The girl didn't answer, only turning to check his IV drip, that's when he saw her arm. It was bandaged around the wrist, wrapping tightly around her slim pale fingers that trembled. Naruto's half-lidded eyes shot open at once, gazing in horror at Sakura's face, deeply purpled with fatigue around dulled green eyes that glistened with something indescribable. What the hell could have happened? What went on during his surgery?

The blonde shifted, wincing as a sharp pain flashed through his abdomen. Immediately Naruto rushed to touch his fingers to the flat expanse of his stomach. The heat was still there, through the sting of a healing cut.

"Sakura what's wrong, what happened?"

The girl said nothing, turning to face him "The surgery was a failure."

Naruto took the girl's trembling hand, pressing it between his own, looking up at her glittering eyes. Suddenly they were spilling over and there was a heavy head of pink hair, shaking little shoulders resting wet sobs against Naruto's blanketed leg, the boy felt the warm trickle of the girl's flooding tears almost instantly. The surprised blonde petted the girl's soft hair comfortingly as the tears continued to shake her small form. There was something he was missing; there was something that happened while he was unconscious!

"Shh, shh, Sakura, tell me what happened."

The girl didn't lift her head; she just shook it, face still hidden in the folds of the blanket.

"Please tell me?" screaming and freaking out would get him nowhere, but he was still itching to raise his voice.

"….t-the hospital was attacked." Naruto froze, what kind of a bastard would attack a hospital?!

"How many, what happened, is everyone okay? Sakura, who did this?" Naruto gripped the pink-haired girl's shoulders gently, urgently. She shook her head again, more quiet sobs shaking her.

"…one."

"One person died? One person attacked? Who was it? Where is he?"

Blue eyes were filling with rage, after everything that had already happened to the village, some bastard was just going to waltz in and attack a _hospital_? What kind of a pathetic low-life would injure sick people?! The girl sniffled, wiping her reddened eyes apologetically before looking down, fiddling with the loose strings of the blanket.

"Who was it?" Green eyes bore into blue, unrelenting.

"…Sasuke."

The girl leaned forward, eyes anxious, to wipe something warm and wet from Naruto's cheek. He didn't notice.

"Naruto? Naruto…? What's-"

The voice that barely escaped his lips was robotic, devoid of reaction.

"_Where is he_?"

The girl was visibly taken aback with surprise at the total lack of intensity, the frozen void of emotion from the usually vibrant blonde. Naruto didn't twitch. He swore he would break to pieces. It couldn't be true.

_What else could Sasuke possibly take from him?_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Naruto squared his shoulders. Tsunade said that the Uchiha had just about begged her, and that otherwise she wouldn't even have given this a second thought. In all honesty, the blonde didn't want to see him.

Well, a very small, logical, not masochistic part of himself was screaming at the other stupid majority about how idiotic this was, how much he hated the bastard, how he never, ever wanted to even hear his name again. But, as most people already realize, majority rules no matter how retarded their decisions were and God, he wanted to see him so bad it felt like he would die otherwise.

Stupid, stupid, stupid idiotic, masochistic- Naruto took a deep breath and pushed the door open, his heart beating so frantically the boy could swear it would explode at any given moment.

And there sat the devil himself, all pale snow skin and expressive black eyes.

Naruto bit back a pained groan that bubbled in his throat, the sight before him threatening to send the blonde straight over the edge. Just being in the same room and Naruto could feel himself falling again, falling into the trance of inky eyes, of silk black hair and fiery hot, pulling gaze. He was sinking already, and the knowledge hurt more than anything else possibly could.

The blonde stopped moving a few feet away from the other boy, shining blue eyes wary, face a hardened mask.

"What did you want?" he tried to keep his voice cold and complacent.

Thankfully, Sasuke didn't turn to face him. He probably wouldn't have been able to take a full-on stare from those dead looking eyes. As it was, the familiar satin voice felt like a physical blow to his already severely aching chest.

"What were they doing to you?" Naruto felt himself scoff coldly. As if Sasuke actually cared. He should just drop the act already.

"It's none of your business is what they were doing."

Precious moments passed, each secretly gathered up by Naruto's selfish memory and locked away to be used to fuel his heart's blood later, like the most effective firewood.

"Are you okay?"

it was a whisper; a little, barely audible, unbelievably infuriating whisper that tore at Naruto's meager self control.

"Am I _okay_? What the hell do_ you_ care if I'm _okay_ or not? Drop the shit you disgusting little fucker, we both know you don't give a damn either way so don't act like you do."

Fire had swelled painfully in Naruto's hard chest, burning him with throbbing stings and rage from the inside out, making something hard crawl its way forcefully up his throat. But his stomach reacted differently, swirling and pushing towards Sasuke, like it wanted to get out and get closer to the boy. Was that how Naruto was really feeling?

He couldn't deny the aching need to get closer to Sasuke, to feel his heat so close and alive, to know that he really was there and not just some sick emotion or dream.

If it was a nightmare, it would be the worst one by far.

Something squeezed sharply, alluringly as those deep black eyes faced his, shining with damnable sadness and what seemed like desperation.

"That's not true." The words were said slowly, a fiery torture that sank like lava through Naruto's heart, making him angrier.

"The fuck it's not!" In a blind rage the blonde had leant forward, stooping to look the bastard Uchiha in the burning, frantic eyes. "If you ever gave the slightest damn about me you wouldn't have left me alone again. You shouldn't have come back if you're just going to leave again." The venom that had been festering in his body was spewing from his lips; it felt good to finally let it out.

"You're just a sadistic bastard who doesn't give a fuck about the world around you, much less me." Blue eyes gleamed with rage, a foot from watery black ones; he would give this asshole a piece of his mind, damn it.

"_I hate your fucking, rotting guts_."

Sasuke didn't flinch, staring ardently into Naruto's eyes. He wanted a rebuttal, a violent fury to satisfy, to justify this 'hate'. He wanted another reason to hate him, another of many. But those other excuses hadn't worked; the majority still didn't hate him. That's what made it burn even more when Sasuke only got closer, still staring deep into his eyes, thin black brows furrowed in what seemed like anguish, chapped pink lips barely moving.

"I know."

"Shut up! Your horrible, you bastard! What kind of a person could do half the shit you've done to me, to everyone! How can you live with yourself?! How can I still… possibly… Damnnit! I hate you!"

"I know."

Naruto covered his ears, the frustration getting to him more than anything. He didn't know; he didn't know shit, damnnit! If he knew, he wouldn't have done that to him. If he knew…

"Shut up!" the boy was practically screaming now, angry tears pounding the back of his eyes, how could he still feel this way, even after everything… Oh, God, it was no use. He just couldn't anymore; he was too tired.

The blonde sank to his knees, hands gripping yellow locks, covering abused ears; hot tears ran down his cheeks. Shameful.

It was so shameful to be crying, showing this insurmountable weakness to the very bastard who did this to him.

A large white hand shocked him into opening blue eyes, staring into the consuming black depths that were so close. The hand pried gently at his own tan one, removing it from its position clutching his hair to caress a pale face, held with shaking fingers. Naruto wanted so badly to rip it free, to use it to punch the stupid asshole down to hell where he belonged. Instead it was all the blonde could do to keep perfectly still when Sasuke leant even closer, mere inches away.

"I'm so sorry." The whisper blew hot against Naruto's trembling lips. Damn it all.

"Fuck you." The boy whispered back.

He swore he could hear the sad smile that tugged at Sasuke's lush lips as the tall boy tentatively, almost shyly wrapped strong arms around the blonde. The final crushing blow.

Naruto knew he'd forgiven Sasuke the moment he had entered the cell. But that didn't mean he wasn't still pissed. That didn't mean he wanted anything to do with the Uchiha anymore. He was just so tired, so lonely he couldn't push the warm body away.

It was a battle between the sides again, whether to push the bastard away and continue to beat the living shit out of him, or to do what, once again, the majority ached to do; wrap his arms around the raven and put off the shit-beating for later.

So the blonde stayed frozen, letting himself be hugged, then letting those surprisingly soft pink lips to brush his scarred cheek, knowing the heat would engulf him anyway so why not just give up already. But when Sasuke slowly, almost affrightedly reached his mouth, Naruto pulled back, red lips quivering to be kissed. But he would not let that happen, no matter what. That was too much, even in his utterly exhausted state.

He couldn't bear that; the pain that followed would be too much. He was afraid it would kill him next time. As it was, the blonde's heart broke a little at Sasuke's utterly dejected expression.

"Not on the lips, Sasuke. Do whatever the hell you want otherwise, but no kisses."

Black eyes stared questioningly. Naruto shook his head slightly, the pain that throbbed in his chest not dulled by the overwhelming fatigue. His husky voice dropped to a whisper.

"It's too personal. I can deal with everything else, but if you kiss me I know that it'll hurt so much more when you leave again, and I can't take anymore, damn it."

Naruto glanced down, not able to look the Uchiha in the face for fear of dropping back into the spell. A cool, gentle hand cupped his cheek, forcing blue eyes to meet with flashing black ones. Sasuke was almost…angry? A blonde brow furrowed further, like hell that asshole had any right to be angry-

"Naruto, I'm not leaving you again."

"Bullshit…"

His anger making him braver than ever, more in control of his thundering heart than ever, the blonde shot up to trap Sasuke against the wall behind them, leaning in close between the tall raven's spread legs; deep indigo eyes glinted his fury.

"…This-" the boy placed one large tan hand on the other's exposed chest, making the tall boy shiver instinctively, Naruto leaning an inch from the other's face.

"-was what you wanted, wasn't it? Just a _quick_ _fuck_ and to be on your merry way, right?"

"Just one more time, real fast so you can run off for a while, and then come back to your little bitch whenever you have the fucking _urge_!"

Naruto brought a boney knee within an inch of Sasuke's groin, stopping fast to instead press it gently, kneading little circles into it. Sasuke's face broke out with pale beads of sweat, as the blonde felt him get hard, biting his lower lip until Naruto saw it bleed, but those endless ink pools kept right on staring into blue, unrelenting.

After a minute long staring-contest, at last and thoroughly disgusted, Naruto gathered his energy and pushed himself off the other boy, quickly striding to the entrance, leaving a panting Uchiha in his wake.

What the fuck was that _stare_ about? The blonde shuddered.

* * *

**(AN)**

**Damn that was...dark. lol a new side to the sunny blonde. Anyways, this story I'm going to try to cut back on the annoyingly long author's notes. Tell me if there's anything else buggin ya.**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed.**


	2. 2Of the Late Summer Storms

The next chapter will be longer. A lot longer, like double; if you've read my other stuff, it's more like those chapters.

^-^

I do not own Naruto.

**2**Of the Late Summer Storms

* * *

The metal on the table was unnaturally cold as always. Naruto figured that no matter how many times he sat on it, he would never truly become used to the chill. Tsunade flicked off the rubber gloves, frustration glowing through her white hospital coat.

"I need an answer, Naruto."

The boy didn't answer, looking down at his intertwined fingers. Three days. Thunder boomed outside the single little window that overlooked the office, flashing just as the first droplets began to patter to the ground. It was too late in the year for thunderstorms; they were supposed to have ended weeks ago.

"Well, Naruto? I can't keep him in there forever; unless you would rather I just execute the bastard and have it over and done."

Naruto didn't answer again, looking up at the woman. Was that what he wanted, to just have the asshole die and forget about him forever? The flame in his stomach flared unbearably hot and Naruto winced, clutching his aching stomach. Obviously not.

No, he just wanted…he just wanted to curl up into a time machine and go back to before all this had happened, to when they were happy and together. He hadn't visited Sasuke since that first time, which was almost four days ago now.

Tsunade seemed to read into Naruto's expression.

"Fine. But I can't keep him in jail any longer; it's illegal since I had already cleared his name for what he did, fusing you. Technically, he's allowed to walk the streets freely, with a guard, of course."

Naruto didn't twitch. He didn't want to think of the possibility that he could just walk into Sasuke on the street one day.

"Alright well, back to business. I called you for this appointment today for a reason. I've finally found out what's wrong with you."

He almost didn't want to know.

"As you probably already know, I've been sending out teams to gather info on your… condition, seeing as such a thing was previously unprecedented in the Fire Country."

Naruto didn't look up, half the woman's words simply slipping through one ear and straight out the other side. The Hokage brought up a folding chair to sit at the little table in the examination room, amber eyes fixed on her charts.

"The scroll was found a few days ago, and it's very old. The situation is not exactly the same, but rather similar from what I can tell. The writing is mostly faded, you see."

The woman swiveled the chair to face the shirtless boy. No, he didn't really see at all.

She tried to start over.

"Naruto, you haven't activated your chakra in a while, have you?"

"No. You said not to."

"Do it now. Run a check through your entire body and then tell me what you find."

With a questioning glance at the old woman, Naruto complied, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. Starting at his head, the blonde checked every nerve and chakra opening, feeling the mixed chakra of his and Kyuubi, that is, until he reached his abdomen. There he found a dense, unnatural cloud of pure red chakra, Kyuubi's chakra that danced thickly around something else. Naruto's blonde brows furrowed in frustration as he tried to breach the wall, to feel what was inside, it wouldn't give, it wouldn't-

A sound echoed in the boy's inner ears. It was a gruff, light grunt. _Kyuubi_? He hadn't heard from the fox since…since… well, since before they were fused. Naruto felt around the casing again, to find a small opening.

Inside was… inside was a cloud made of the purified form of his own chakra. But there was something else too, something so painfully familiar…

"What the hell is that, Tsunade?!" Blue eyes seemed to bulge. This wasn't possible, it was… was this actually the source of his pain?

"Why is Sasuke's chakra inside of me?!"

"Quiet, brat! Do you want to wake the whole damn hospital?!"

But Naruto could feel his features getting desperate, his hands starting to shake as questions plagued his mind. _What the hell was that? What did this mean, was it a fluke from the fusing? Was this why it wanted Sasuke so badly, because it was a part of him, some strange mutant injection of the Uchiha's power?_

Before he could hold back his entire thin frame was shaking almost violently, but a sound smack across the face snapped the blonde back to rationality.

"Uzumaki Naruto, get a hold of yourself. This _thing_ inside you is not only Sasuke's chakra, but your own and it is being infused with Kyuubi's power. Whatever it is, I don't think, from what the scroll writes that it is human."

Shock wide glass eyes gazed, in shock, at Tsunade as the Hokage continued.

"The patient recorded was a Jinchuuriki like you, and he was also fused with his demon. But it seems that his symptoms were similar to yours, however he was not treated. His lover realized that there was something inside the man after about four months, but not having the technology nor the experience, and being a man, whatever was inside him had no way of getting out."

"About ten months of this thing inside him, already half dead from the thrashing of the creature, the man died of poisoning a few days after whatever was inside him died and rotted."

Naruto shivered. Died and rotted inside him?

"Does…does that mean that whatever this is, this bunch of chakra and cells is… it's alive? If it isn't human, what could it possibly be?"

Blue eyes glittered in dumb wonderment and a strange numb high as lightning flashed outside.

"Did you not hear what I just said!?" Tsunade's eyes were flashing something more frightening than the lightning outside.

"This thing inside you is not human! It is utterly _unnatural_, Naruto. We need to remove it as soon as possible."

"Like… kill it? But, do you even know what it is?"

"What is there to know?"

"Maybe…maybe it is human, and that other time it just died because it couldn't find a way out, obviously."

"Obviously _what_, Naruto? That sort of thing _is not possible_. You are a _man_."

"Well, of course I am but-"

"But what?"

The boy's husky voice dropped to a whisper. Why was he even defending this thing?

"There has to be some explanation. Just… I don't know, just…" To be completely honest, even if it was partly made of Sasuke's chakra, he didn't want to get rid of it. Maybe that was why; because it would remind him of Sasuke. Was that really something he should be willing to risk his life for? The answer was already undeniable.

"As soon as possible, Naruto. I'll see you again as soon as i get more information. Until then, I'll do my best to find out more about this." a gruff hand shoved something black towards him; an umbrella.

"It's raining." Naruto nodded, too much on his mind to be functioning properly as he walked through the door, not looking back to see Tsunade take her aching head in two hands.

When the boy reached the little space right outside the doorway he opened the somber black umbrella, pausing to take in the grey world around him. These near autumn thunderstorms were becoming more and more frequent, wetting already overflowing crowded streets, busy despite the bad weather. It felt as if the whole village was out in their multicolored umbrellas, the brighter shades dulled by the clouded skies. Naruto stepped into the puddle-covered dirt road, taking a deep breath and clearing his mind of everything but the sound of hard droplets against the shade above him.

He couldn't think of everything now, maybe after some cup ramen and a good night's sleep things would become clearer. The boy tried a smile; he failed miserably. As he trudged through the pounding rain a light cracked the sky, blinding him.

The wind was chilly, but Naruto was warm. So very, very warm; it was a heat that burned as much as it comforted, emanating from his stomach. The boy unconsciously rubbed it, secretly wishing like the idiot he was that the maker of the other half of the little heat in there was walking with him, maybe even holding his hand in support. He wished he didn't have to go through this alone, have to make this decision alone.

And he wished that the world could be simple and uncomplicated, that this damn loneliness would just go away.

The blonde looked up from his toes to face the entrance of his apartment; just to find a soaking wet boy asleep, propped up against the side of his doorway. Thunder rumbled overhead, lightning revealing a pale, glistening face through the pouring rain. Sasuke slept soundly through the storm, only shuddering unconsciously each time the thunder boomed. Naruto stood frozen even when the shock passed, the fire in his belly tearing, compelling him forward until he was crouched an inch away from the sleeping raven, umbrella covering them both.

Huh.

The Uchiha looked so harmless when he was sleeping, face utterly peaceful as he dreamt of something nice. Naruto found himself smiling when the boy sighed and shivered. But then his face turned serious again as black hair fell over thick lashes, wet and shining in the grey light.

As if it had a will of its own, one tan hand reached tentatively, not wanting to wake the boy, and stroked the Uchiha's fair cheek, then brushing that midnight hair back to fully reveal his face. Biting his lip and not knowing what the hell he was doing, or why, Naruto leant down the final few inches to barely, just barely, eyes half closed, brush their lips together for more than an instant; the boy leaned back on his haunches to feel the punishing shockwaves ride his body.

It had been stupid but, looking back at that beautiful pale face, it was worth it.

Naruto stood and walked into his apartment, leaving the tall Uchiha to sleep in the rain, alone.

----------------------

Close to an hour later, steaming cup ramen in one pink scrubbed hand, the blonde checked the window to the even more stormy outside; the trees were shaking the with violent force of the howling winds, thunder booming and lightning flashing in the now nearly pitch black sky. Something wet and glistening moved outside, shuddering and curling itself tighter.

Sasuke was still there.

Grip tightening on the little steaming cup, Naruto turned around to eat his dinner in peace.

----------------------------------

It was around two in the morning by the time he woke up again, he was sweating and feeling more than a little sick, head spinning. But there was something he had to check, even though it was really unlikely, who would stay through this storm? The winds were screaming louder and the rain was hammering even more aggressively, thunder shaking the foundations of the building while lightning cracked open the sky.

Naruto shivered in his thin little t-shirt and striped pajama bottoms, rubbing his eyes as bare feet shuffled across the cold hardwood floor to the window next to the door. The night was overwhelmingly dark; there was nothing there. So he had gone after all. It was only logical, what kind of an idiot would stay outside in this kind of weather?

Why was he so disappointed?

Just as the blonde turned to go back to bed, lightning flashed to reveal something large hunkered down in a tight, soaked black ball that shuddered in the doorway. In that instant, Naruto's heart had leapt into his throat, choking him with its deafening beat.

This changed things; he couldn't just leave the stupid bastard out there, right?

Well, he could, he just wouldn't because he was mature like that. Excuses kept popping one after another into the blonde's brain as he took deep breaths and flung open his door for a moment, getting completely drenched in the few seconds it took to drag Sasuke's heavy body into the dark apartment. If only for a moment, Naruto felt like he could smile at last as he held the large, shaking figure to his chest before that damnable face gazed up at him, paler than ever with what looked like blue lips against the black of the nighttime storm around them, Sasuke looked as beautiful as the moon. But that was why he made sure to be the first to break the silence.

"Sasuke you idiot, were you _trying_ to kill yourself?!" Naruto felt chilled to the bone and he wasn't even the one who'd been out there for over eight hours, his hands felt numb as they gripped the frozen cloth that wrapped an even colder boy.

"You're freezing, get off me!" Naruto started to pull away, blue eyes widening in shock and horror as Sasuke didn't reply, instead dropping to the ground, body trembling. He was- he was going into… what was it called…hy- hy- hypothermia! Sasuke was going to freeze to death.

Naruto rolled the larger boy over unto his back, hands gripping the other's trembling one. What had the academy instructed to do in these situations, what was it…ah! Naruto felt his cheeks warm a little at the thought. He'd been the loudest one in the class, laughing his little ass off at Iruka –sensei when he had told them this, blushing and stuttering.

The blonde's heart was thumping rapidly, aching in his chest. Damn, he was really going to go this far for the fucking Uchiha. But despite his mental rejection of the idea, Naruto's hands began to strip the raven of his soaking clothes, all the while dragging the boy off the cold floor to his room.

Gently laying Sasuke down, Naruto closed his eyes, breathing near hyperventilation as he threw off his wet shirt and soaked pants, hesitating before slipping trembling fingers under the elastic of his boxers.

_He's unconscious, he's unconscious, and he won't remember a thing of this… You're only doing it to save his sorry ass so you can rub it in his face later… _

The chant repeated over and over in Naruto's head as he slipped off the remaining cloth and kneeled next to the viciously shaking, almost completely naked raven in his bed, keeping blue eyes on Sasuke's ghostly face as his hands carefully removed the Uchiha's last soaking wet article of clothing.

With one last deep, calming breath, Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shivering form and pressed himself completely to the other boy, muscled arms rubbing the pale skin raw in an attempt to warm him. Naruto's eyes squeezed shut as he pulled the covers over them both and kept on rubbing every limb, every finger and eventually toe until Sasuke was fully warm and the exhausted blonde fell into the first blissfully restful sleep in months, still pressed tightly against the raven's chest.

* * *

**(AN)**

**a little chapter of nothing. But anyway, Reviews _really_ help an author write!**

**next chapter the wheels will start turning a little, but I'm getting writer's block, so Review!**

**(Please and Thankyou)**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	3. 3Of Drooping Sunflowers

hello. So i think there will be maybe one more super-quick update, then I'm going on vacation for about a week. Their going up so quick 'cause i have most of this already pre-typed... yeah. That might end soon, since i just got the absolute _worst_ case of writer's block. it sucks.

might get a little ooc. sorry folks, never been good at coloring inside the lines.

On with the show.

**3**Of Drooping Sunflowers

* * *

_This must be a dream_… It couldn't be real otherwise. Sasuke felt like he would explode. The last thing he remembered he had been dragged inside by a furious Naruto and then he had passed out. But now… the pressure in his chest was overwhelming as Sasuke wrapped another arm around the blonde's thin body, smelling the intoxicating scent of pure, undiluted sunshine as the boy snuggled against his side. He could die now.

Sasuke hid a smirk in those golden locks, still wondering what could've happened. Obviously not 'it', even if that would've been great, but he couldn't be blamed for wondering why they were both _naked _in _bed_. The raven drew one hand up to grasp a tan whiskered cheek, leaning in ever so slightly to press his lips gently against Naruto's lush red ones.

The boy had said not to kiss him, but…that was just because he thought he was going to leave again, right? It couldn't be because he had finally gotten fed up with Sasuke, right?

He hoped with all his being that wasn't it. But even if it was, and Naruto really did hate him like he rightfully should, Sasuke wouldn't ever stop chasing the boy. This feeling in his chest was too much to bear without that constant smile, and as he'd said so many times before, he was very selfish. It was inexplicably scary, the heat that continually thrummed in his veins; he felt like it might one day, if not this day, lead him to do some very stupid things. More stupid than the things he'd already done. Things he would really regret.

Sasuke sighed into the pillow, holding the boy gently but tightly one last time before loosening his grip and rolling from the bed. Pulling on his boxers, Sasuke smiled at the form that still slept smiling in the bed, leaning down to kiss those lips once more before pulling the covers over the slightly snoring blonde. The raven stretched and pulled on the rest of his now dry clothes, wandering to the doorway.

He should do something; the boy grimaced little, something…nice.

He had to make sure he was forgiven once and for all, so until that day came Sasuke had to make an extra effort to be nice, the boy bit back a groan, cut back on the insults and do everything he could for his little blonde. Well, no so little anymore, the boy had grown a lot since last time…

A few minutes and many curses and tries later Sasuke started walking back towards Naruto's room, a tray in his hands. It held what looked like the sad, burnt remains of toast and what give the impression of being something similar to eggs. Everything else was completely indiscernible on the tray, all but one little sunflower Sasuke had added on the side. He figured it was a pretty good touch.

It's the thought that's supposed to count, right? With a simper, Sasuke turned into the hallway, stopping frozen a foot from the room when Naruto appeared, flustered, in the doorway. The boy only held the thin white sheet bunched around his waist, looking as if he had just woken up and fallen out of bed. He probably had. But… Sasuke's eyes widened as he took in Naruto's expression, panicked and angry and… anxious?

"Na-" Sasuke began, only to be interrupted by a watery-eyed Naruto.

"You stupid fucking asshole!" and the door slammed an inch from his face.

He the hell had he done now? Damn Naruto. Sasuke rolled his eyes, getting over the initial surprise.

He tried again, tone exasperated "Naruto-"

Something crashed in the room, Sasuke sighed again. What could that idiot possibly be doing now? Naruto had been acting so moody lately, not that the raven was anyone to speak, but still. It just wasn't like him. Putting down the little tray and just picking up the sunflower, Sasuke tried the door. Locked, of course.

"Naruto?" No answer. He could just be ignoring him, but Sasuke couldn't help the little seed of worry that implanted itself in the pit of his stomach.

"Naruto, answer me." Still nothing. Sasuke jiggled the knob as if it would do anything, but it didn't and the door stood firm.

The once little seed blossomed as he pressed one ear to the door, hearing absolute silence behind it. I f Naruto were mad, he would've made sure Sasuke knew it, banging things or yelling straight to his face. This wasn't like him no matter how different the blonde had been acting; silence simply went against the boy's anatomy.

With one last useless jiggle, Sasuke shot a burst of power from his palm and forced the lock from the door, swinging the door wide to reveal an unconscious blonde collapsed on the floor. Something more than sickening wrenched Sasuke's stomach as he rushed to the boy, seeing the little garnet droplets leaking from his forehead. Naruto had collapsed and hit his head on the little nightstand whose corner was stained with blood.

Damnnit, count on Naruto for something like this. Sasuke snatched a pillow for the boy's head, not wanting to move him, before hurrying across the tiny apartment to get a damp towel.

------------

Sasuke sat cross-legged, wiping blood from the tan head in his lap, bent carefully over his work as thick blonde lashes began to flutter. The raven put on his most condescending smirk, hoping it would be enough to mask the worry he felt like a troublesome blemish on his face. He prayed Naruto couldn't hear his heart speed up stupidly and fire rush in his veins as azure eyes cracked open, glazed and disoriented. Sasuke twirled the flower between his fingers nonchalantly.

"Wh- what the…?"

"You fainted and hit your head, dobe." Sasuke pressed the flower to Naruto's nose, leaning over to look him upside down in the eyes.

"Damn…" tan fingers explored the newly made bump on the blonde's head, wincing as he touched the tender lump.

"What the hell… what are you doing, teme?" Naruto stared defiantly up to black eyes, oblivious of Sasuke's mortal battle within. He wanted to kiss him so badly it hurt. Pale fingers brushed whiskered cheeks gently.

"Hn."

"Wait… that's right! You little bastard, making me forget; I was mad at you! Am, I am mad at you!" The blonde struggled to get up, held down by a large ivory hand.

Just a few more minutes.

"Why were you mad, Naruto?"

"I _am_ mad because… well…'cause you weren't there wh- when I woke up. You never are." Naruto's words had become mumbles, blue eyes avoided his gaze, boyish face still angry. He was scared that Sasuke had left again? Sasuke swallowed hard, keeping his expression blank and reaction less, hoping his heart didn't escape out his throat.

"Oh."

"Oh?" Blonde brows furrowed deeply under him. Shit; he'd gotten him angry again.

"'Oh' what, bastard?! You had me seriously worried you asshole, I thought…fuck this…" Those deep cerulean eyes looked away again, before staring straight through black, accusing, making Sasuke's heart flutter nervously.

"I thought you'd left again." Something forceful yanked at Sasuke's pulse, speeding it up for the umpteenth time that morning. There was seriously something wrong with this, this constant changing of his heart rate. It was so disconcertingly warm it had to be unhealthy. But the boy felt his features melt all the same, all he wanted was his blonde's forgiveness. At this point, he wanted a kiss and that forgiveness so badly; he'd even sacrifice a bit of his pride.

Just a little bit.

"I'm sorry." The boy whispered the words into Naruto's mouth, fingers still resting on Naruto's warm, scarred cheek, red lips already twitching. For a moment, he felt Naruto accept their lips' intertwining, but ended up being pushed roughly away.

His mood sank to the lowest pits of hell.

Damn; Naruto wiped his lips, something frustrated and indescribable in his eyes, still not looking at the expressionless Sasuke.

"What the fuck, Sasuke? I thought I already told you about that!"

"Yeah, you did."

"Then why the hell-" Sasuke picked himself off the ground, wiping off the imaginary dust before crossing the small space. Crouching down, Sasuke smirked something unintelligible in Naruto's rebellious face before getting up and tossing the little sunflower in the boy's lap.

"What's this?" Naruto's voice was resigned, tired. Sasuke tilted his head coolly as he looked at Naruto through deadpanned eyes.

"What does it look like, Naruto? It's a flower, obviously." The raven rolled his eyes as he turned to leave the room.

"What the hell kind of a girl do you think I am, you asshole?!" It was really amazing how quickly Naruto's moods were changing. He just shrugged before walking into the kitchen to wash the plates he burned earlier.

"Hey… Sasuke…" Naruto wandered into the kitchen, face nervous.

"What?"

"N- Nothing; never mind." Sasuke kept scrubbing until a tan hand covered his. Ebon eyes turned into azure, now only a few inches below him, a few inches away. These mood swings were giving him a headache already.

Thin fingers reached to brush his cheek, Sasuke couldn't help but lean into the caress as he watched the morning light play with the shades of gold in Naruto's soft spikes, that little smile; those blue eyes that stared as if trying to convince himself this was real.

"What is it, Naruto?" The first real smile he'd seen Naruto give since he came back. It was bright as the sun, blinding. Naruto leaned forward, barely an inch away, hand still cupping Sasuke's cheek; he felt his breath catch loudly in his throat. The blonde pulled back, smiling.

"Nothing."

He was being unbelievably, uncharacteristically cruel. Sasuke stood frozen for a moment before collecting himself with a 'tch' and getting back to scrubbing. The Uchiha pretended not to pay attention to Naruto or the pink that tinged his cheeks as the boy bounced to the door.

"I've got to go see someone. Bye." Naruto turned slowly at the doorway. "I'll… I'll see you later?" It wasn't a statement, but a question that burned Sasuke's insides.

"Yeah."

Another blinding smile. Oh, well; Sasuke looked back down at his dishes, keeping his twitching mouth in its usual bored, straight line.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

He needed to think. He'd wasted the entire morning; it was time to get down to solving this. He needed to talk to someone, and there was only one person who could really help him since Jaraiya's death; Iruka, his first and foremost father figure.

Naruto picked at the chipping paint on the bench under him. He was sitting alone in the first and only park in Konoha to be rebuilt, watching the distant playground where children played blissfully, their loving mothers and fathers watching carefully, clapping and congratulating their adorable child as they made it down the slide by themselves. Something painful tugged at Naruto's chest, but was soon forgotten as someone sat next to him.

"Oof! Feels nice to have a day off, huh?" Iruka chuckled as he stretched.

" I guess so."

"Something on your mind?"

"You could say that. You know about… everything, right?" Naruto glanced up at his old academy teacher. This wasn't the first time he had talked to Iruka, effectively filling the older man in on just about everything that had happened, from Sasuke's leaving to the strange thing inside him. He'd left most of the…gorier details out, of course.

"Yeah, so what did Tsunade say about it?" Concern leaked unrepressed from the brunette teacher for his favorite pupil. Naruto tried not to be nervous; it was just Iruka-sensei. There was nothing to be embarrassed or anything about.

"W-well… there's definitely something in there. She called me in earlier to tell me some more details. It's alive, whatever it is, fed by whatever I eat. It's just… it just..." Naruto heard his voice crack. Whatever it was, it was alive; it fed from him, the symptoms he'd told Tsunade about, the perfect mix of DNA, everything made sense. But that was exactly why it _was not possible_.

"It all leads to the same thing. The only explanation is that I.. I'm…"

"Pregnant?" Naruto choked, blue eyes bulging at the direct word. But he couldn't deny it, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Shh! When you say it out loud, it sounds so… weird."

"It is weird, Naruto."

"Yeah, I know, it's just…"

The blonde looked pleadingly up at his teacher, azure eyes unusually worried. This was all too much for just him alone to handle.

"Iruka, even looking past the fact that I am in every possible way completely a _man_, I'm just barely turning 17; jeez, I can hardly pay rent! I can barely feed myself! How am I supposed to feed and take care of a kid? And then the fact that when I'm away, who'll take care of it? How am I supposed to go on missions, become even a chuunin; I'm still a genin! Sensei, I would need a bigger apartment, but I can barely afford the one I have now!"

The blonde buried his hands in his hair, finally breaking down, revealing all the worries that had plagued him since Tsunade had told him more details earlier that morning. His breathing had reached near hyperventilation, Iruka patted his back and let him finish.

"She says it might kill me if I don't, but I can't just… she thinks I should have it…a-aborted. Killed. Get rid of it." He turned to face his teacher, a broken smile across his lips.

"It's alive, you know that? It already has a little heartbeat. It might be a person; in there. Like you or me but really tiny."

"Like a baby, Naruto?"

"Yeah… a baby. But that's not even possible! _I am a man_."

Iruka didn't move to speak until Naruto calmed down under the comforting touch of his hand, rubbing wide circles on the boy's back. How was he supposed to handle this?

"Do you know what I think, Naruto?"

"Mm.."

"I think" Iruka brushed his scar lightly, surprisingly unsurprised by the news. Naruto didn't dwell on it.

"I think that you should forget about the bad things, the complications. Those can all be resolved one way or another." the man smiled comfortingly down at his tormented, stressed former student.

"You've always been the type to defeat the impossible, right? I think you should listen to what you want. Whether you want to be a…parent, or not; I'm not going to make this decision for you, Naruto, but I can try my best to support you either way. Just make sure what you do is what you want, and no one else."

A deeply tanned hand rested on Naruto's shoulder.

"Have you… talked to Sasuke about this?" Naruto jerked back, widening warm brown eyes in shock at his vehement reaction.

"No way! I couldn't. This is… this isn't his problem. I wouldn't put this on him."

Naruto shuddered at the thought of Sasuke's reaction, what if he left again?

"Naruto… isn't Sasuke the sire? Have you ever thought that maybe Sasuke would like to know about this? This is just as much his...child… as it is yours."

"Sire? Well, yeah, I guess… but still, what if he leaves or something, or wants nothing to do with me or it, I don't even want to know what his reaction will be… and why would he want to know about this? I mean, this is so unnatural, hell, we had only just started…_you know_, we had only just even confessed… I don't think I should even tell him…" The brunette sighed.

"Well Naruto, this is your decision. All I'm going to say is that you shouldn't care about what others want in this case. This will be your and Sasuke's responsibility, especially your decision, I think, because it would be your life in danger."

A warm smile melted a few of Naruto's icy fears.

"Just know that I'm here for you, and always will be, okay?"

The blonde nodded somberly, a lot still settled on his mind, rubbing his aching forehead.

"Thanks…for everything. Really, you can't imagine how much you've helped." Naruto tried to smile up at his old teacher, not quite reaching it though.

"You shouldn't have to go through all this by yourself, Naruto. Please remember that."

Iruka stood, ruffling the blonde boy's hair as he spoke.

"I have to go meet someone now, but come talk to me whenever you need, ne?" Smiling, the man strolled away, leaving Naruto alone with his worries sitting on the park bench, watching the children screech and laugh and play.

But he _was_ alone in this. Sasuke had proved that he had nothing to do with it the last time he left. Naruto wouldn't force anything on him; even if he just found out and didn't end up just leaving again, the most Naruto could probably hope for was a misplaced sense of duty, obligation. Sakura had been impossible to talk to since Sasuke came back; avoiding him like her life was on the line. Jaraiya was dead. Iruka could only help so much.

Naruto drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, feeling the warmth from his stomach. He really was alone in this. The only one who could possibly give some real support and blessed comfort in this couldn't ever find out.

**And why is that, kit? **

_K-Kyuubi? Where've you been? What happened, I haven't heard from you since we were fused!_

**My new kits take a lot of strength to maintain healthy, as you are a man and ill-equipped.**

_What? Kyuubi, what the hell is going on, why is this happening?!_

**Kit, I am now bound to you in life or death. I cannot hope to be removed. When you die, I die. As a demon, I am a hermaphrodite, bearing the power to bear kits by you, so now each of your children will bear the legacy of my power in them. **

**I will not die in you.**

_What the hell?! That makes no sense! So you're a girl? Ew, so now I'm like a trans, or a he-she? How is it possible for me to have kids, you should know just as well as I do that I am one hundred percent male_**.**

**Don't be such a dumbass. Of course you aren't, you still don't have any organs of a female, not even most of the hormones, just the ones I can control within your body, so I supply whatever they need as much as possible. **

**Yes, you may be male, but I am partially female, therefore able to produce kits if I want. I used this ability for the reason that I would be able to spread my power through any children you have, children you are able to have because I am also female.**

_Oh…? Uh… okay. I still have no idea what the hell you're talking about._

**Stupid boy. Anyway, why don't you want the sire to know of his children?"**

_Because, as girly and stupid as it sounds, I don't want him to leave, or stay just because he feels obligated- wait. Child. One. You said children, you mean child. _

**Your reasoning is stupid as you are, Naruto. And we'll see. I am a fox, remember?**

_What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Kyuubi!!_

The voice was gone. It was gone and had left him feeling worse than before; children, as in, more than one? Naruto groaned into his knees. More people to worry about, unless… unless he just went through with the surgery; and why shouldn't he? He couldn't provide any type of good home for himself, much less a kid. He liked kids, but he was definitely far from ready to have one himself.

Naruto couldn't remember how long he sat there, staring at the children playing and laughing, their mothers and fathers holding hands and gazing with pride and love at their usually planned children. How many kids would be there playing if their mothers had decided that, because they hadn't planned their child, they were going to just kill it? What had been the father's reaction when their wives or girlfriends had told them of their unplanned, and sometimes unwanted, baby?

The blonde sat staring until it was pitch dark, all the happy families gone home to enjoy dinner together. His stomach rumbled. It had to be near midnight by now; he was still alone, in the dark, curled tightly against the cold under the streetlight that hovered over his bench. The fire inside him burned its complaint, echoing his loudly grumbling stomach. Should he tell him? He'd almost told him this morning, but ended up being too much of a coward to go through with it.

It would be smart to just get rid of it. He couldn't afford it; he couldn't take care of it, especially by himself. Maybe, maybe if he took all the missions he possibly could now, he could save up enough to last a few months after it was born, he could figure out what to do until then, right?

Naruto got up, wandering slowly, mindlessly in the direction of his apartment; wondering if Sasuke was already there or had had some kind of premonition and took off already. It wouldn't be surprising.

When he reached the door, the blonde took a deep breath; preparing himself for the worst. Turning the key in the lock, Naruto swung the door open, only to have it hit something hard. Sasuke stood in the doorway, the barest hints of emotion that played across the boy's features looking shocked, then emanating anger as the blonde entered.

"Where the hell were you?"

Naruto's head cocked to the side. What the hell was he so upset about?

"It's past midnight."

"Yeah, so?"

Sasuke looked ruffled for a minute, but then thought better of it and strode back into the apartment to sit coolly on the only beat-up old couch, face back in its usual expressionless pose. Something clicked suddenly, and the blonde broke into a grin, past worries forgotten in the company of his sole support.

Well, the person who _could_ be his support if he decided to tell him. But he wouldn't put that kind of pressure on Sasuke, not unless there was some way to be sure of his reaction.

Naruto swaggered over to the raven, leaning over to press the boy up against the back of the couch, huge grin still plastered on his face.

"Teme, were you, by any chance, worried about me?"

Naruto held back a chuckle as one black eyebrow twitched and the pale face inched closer, each vying to be the seductive one instead of the one seduced.

"Yeah, so what if I was?" Sasuke's warm breath blew into his mouth and Naruto shuddered. He wouldn't lose. The blonde pressed one hand to the other's chest, pushing him harder against the couch, leaning closer. If there was any time before, it was nothing compared to how much he wanted to kiss those pink lips now. And why shouldn't he?

Naruto felt Sasuke shake under him for a moment as he brushed his lips just barely against Sasuke's lower lip, blowing steamy breath into the tall boy's mouth.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

Naruto pulled back, satisfied at Sasuke's hungry eyes and significantly hard arousal; the fire inside him was swirling full blast.

"Not yet." Walking into the kitchen, he heard Sasuke's curse behind him as he stalked, irritated, into the bathroom.

"Damn little...."

After a snigger and lovely late dinner of cup ramen and a nice hot shower, Naruto lay in bed, alone. Cold, alone, and the hours passed. It was already past 3:00 am and for some reason, Naruto couldn't fall asleep. He was certainly tired enough, but something nagging was keeping him awake; something dark and empty deep inside him.

Lately, he'd grown horribly familiar with the sensation.

He was lonely. He was lonely and very possibly pregnant; and _so_ a guy and the whole thing was just too weird. And on top of all that, he still couldn't bring himself to tell the one person whose support would surely make all the bad feelings, the anxiety and the loneliness go away.

The boy who could do all that was asleep in the other room, on his couch. All he needed to do was tell him.

Rolling off the bed, Naruto made up his mind. Taking his blanket with him like a cloak, the blonde crawled across the floor until he reached to door, swinging it open and continuing his migration until he felt the soft old cloth of the corner of the couch. It was now or never. Creeping around until he saw a puff of silky black hair shining in the moonlight, Naruto took a deep breath and carefully climbed into Sasuke's covers, huddling next to the groggy, surprised raven.

"What the- Naruto? What the hell are you doing? What time is it-?" The Uchiha rubbed his eyes, turning in the small space to stare questioningly at the blonde.

"I don't know, around three I think. I couldn't sleep." Naruto's voice carried his loneliness, showing more as he wrapped his arms around the pale boy's waist, holding him close.

"Obviously. Damn it, what's wrong, Naruto?"

Sasuke yawned, so blissfully unaware of the news that would change his life forever. Did Naruto really have the right to do that, to change the boy's life?

Well, it _was_ Sasuke's fault that they were in this situation, even if he didn't know it yet. The blonde buried his head in the other's neck, nuzzling it for some sort of comfort as the heat inside him danced and exploded in little flaming bursts. Could Sasuke feel it, the heat? Could he feel his own chakra, his own DNA lurking in someone else's body?

"Sasuke, I… I'm… I-" Naruto looked up, finding himself entranced by inky pools and he couldn't.

He couldn't ruin his life.

"I'm tired."

He felt the groan above him, hoping desperately that he'd done the right thing.

"Then go to sleep, dumbass."

Warm arms wrapped around the blonde and he prayed Sasuke never found out. He would get rid of it so he never found out.

* * *

**(AN)Thanks to all who reviewed!**

**bleh, can't write for my life anymore. But i know one thing that might help...**

**reviews!**

**please and thank you.**


	4. 4Of What Is Best

omg. If you've read the newest chapter of Naruto, you'll know what I'm talking about. I actually squealed. Like, the high-pitched, keening sort of hard-core fangirl squeal. I was seriously almost proud of myself for a moment before the crushing shame. But damn, that was good.

This is a huge **Thanks** for all who reviewed, It was really awesome. Really really; it helped pull me out of my writer's block funk. Man, you guys boost my ego amazingly. heheh.

And sure, lol, I'll try not to get bitchy and update quickly. You know who you are.

XD

Thanks again!

ps. Mmm, gotta love those limes.

(i really hope people were smart enough to get that.)

**4**Of Sickening Interactions and What Is Best

* * *

Naruto woke up sick. He felt like his stomach would explode at any second, he could feel the greenish sheen that coated his face. But he didn't want to get up. Not until the very last second. Sasuke was still asleep so peacefully, it would be mean. And on top of that, he was so comfortable, despite the close quarters. Maybe because of them.

They were intertwined on the old couch, both under one thin blanket but more than warm from body heat, despite the late summer chill in the mornings. Naruto kissed the sleeping forehead before rolling off the couch and running full speed for the bathroom, finally succumbing to his turning stomach. It looked like he threw up a week's worth of food, even though he had barely been eating lately.

He was never, ever sick; the blonde leaned weakly against the wall of his tiny bathroom, one hand ready to pull him back to the toilet for the next round. It came just as Sasuke knocked on the door. Squeezing his eyes tight, Naruto tried to wretch as quietly as possible, feeling ridiculous for not wanting Sasuke to know.

"Naruto? What's wrong?"

Wiping his mouth, the small boy closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall, feeling dizzy from the fumes.

"N-nothing." Naruto winced at the sound of his voice, rough and choked.

The boy flinched when Sasuke came in anyway, mentally punching himself for forgetting to lock it. He was surprised, however, when instead of freaking out or scoffing at his pathetic-ness, the tall raven just rubbed his hair, brushing it back from his forehead, looking damnably concerned. A cold scoff would've been better. Sasuke didn't ask anything, flushing the toilet and handing Naruto a cool glass of water before sitting down next to him in the bathroom, leaning against the wall barely inches away from the smaller boy, tilting back his head to rest against the icy tiles. Long pale fingers reached the few inches distance to interweave with tan ones soothingly.

"Now, tell me what's going on."

Naruto shivered a moment, his resolve wavering. God, he wanted to tell him so badly. It couldn't be too bad, right? Sasuke had just shown that he could be caring. Maybe that could possibly extend to his perhaps child? Maybe, possibly, perhaps not; Naruto sighed.

"It's nothing. I just felt a little sick. That's it; I'm fine."

"Don't try to bullshit me."

"I'm not." Naruto got up. Even this little questioning was tempting him, and if there was anything Naruto couldn't do, that was going back on his word. He wouldn't tell Sasuke.

"I have a mission today. I'll be busy a lot lately, going on missions and stuff."

"Hn." the answer came from the bathroom, Sasuke not having gotten up. Naruto didn't look back as he brushed his teeth, changed and then escaped through the door, stomach still turning sickeningly, but this time he had the aching feeling it wasn't just from the morning.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke didn't move, holding onto the stupid superstition that if he stayed perfectly still, all the pieces would come together. Of course, they didn't, and the raven was left more confused and irritated than before. Damn blonde. There was definitely something wrong, something going on that he didn't want Sasuke knowing about.

Sighing heavily, the tall boy buried his head in his hands a moment before getting up and moving towards the bedroom where he kept his meager supply of clothes. Still not allowed to go on missions, the Uchiha dressed casually in jeans and a white t-shirt, not really caring enough to do anything remotely complicated. He needed to go find something out.

Grabbing some change for a quick breakfast, the boy headed out the door. He would first head to the restaurant near the hospital, the one he'd seen Sakura at several times before. She may be annoying, but that was a very good reason she would be an excellent source of easy info. Sasuke walked the dusty streets with his head held high, unwilling to sacrifice even a little bit of his incomparable Uchiha pride for the wide-eyed onlookers. They should just get over it already; the constant stares were almost annoying. Or they would be if the raven cared enough; good thing he didn't.

Turning into the little shop, the tall boy continued to rudely ignore the wondered gazes of the shopkeeper and employees. They weren't paid to stare, were they? A black-haired little boy grinned at him, unusual olive skin backlit by the high sun. He rolled his eyes before beginning to look for his prey.

Not there yet; but she would have to turn up eventually.

As the hours passed, Sasuke sipped his tea and looked over the Uchiha affairs. Even with all the current events, the clan still had a lot of land and a lot of stocks; as well as a whole hell of a lot of cash in separate accounts. His father had been anything but an exceptional accountant. The boy smirked. On top of all that, as the sole survivor of his clan, everything automatically went to him. Ah, maybe looking on the bright side of things wasn't so bad after all. The smirk turned into a grimace as the boy hit the bottom of his cup and the bitter leaves.

Sasuke leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, his eyes facing the wooden beamed ceiling a few feet above. He was still releasing the air when he felt a presence seated across from him.

Sakura sat, smiling shyly down at her little tray of tea and pastry. She looked tired.

"H-Hey, Sasuke-kun. Um… so how're you doing?" The Uchiha forced himself not to roll his eyes in contempt, instead keeping his features at the bare minimum of polite and expressionless. He needed her to cooperate with him, and for that he needed to be nice. Well, just not be outwardly mean.

"I'm fine."

"How are you adjusting to life?"

"Fine."

This was how the conversation went. Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch, hoping the girl wouldn't notice until he got what he wanted. She worked closely with Tsunade on medical things, so she should know about Naruto and what was wrong with him. The raven paused in their walk, striding over to the sole empty bench, one that overlooked a playground brimming with happy families. Sasuke felt a little ill at the sight. There was no such thing as a truly happy family.

"So, you work at the hospital now?" Sakura paused in her long-winded chatter, shocked at the first real sentence she'd heard from the boy.

"Y-Yeah I do; under Tsunade-sama's supervision, mainly."

"Do you look after many friends?" This was the most subtle Sasuke could pull off; he only prayed it worked.

"Um, just one, currently."

"And who's that?" Sasuke turned to the girl, pressuring her with his eyes to speak up. He almost felt guilty about forcing her. But 'almost' was and never would be nearly enough to stop him.

"You're worried about Naruto. But sorry," the girl smiled. Damn, he was seen through; Sakura may be annoying, but that did in no way hinder her intelligence "patient information is strictly confidential."

"I'm not worried." His pride wouldn't let him admit it, especially so openly.

"Sure, Sasuke-kun. I'm not sure, but his case _might_ just have something to do with you. So you might be able to get some details. I'll look into it so, until next time?"

Green eyes squinted in a full smile. Bribery? So she would talk if he agreed to meet her again.

"Hn."

"See you tomorrow at three!"

Sasuke didn't watch the girl walk off, instead biting his lip at his own misfortune. He just _had_ to give a shit. But what could be so bad that Naruto, _the_ Naruto, couldn't tell him straight up himself like he usually did? Rubbing his eyes, the boy watched the families laughing together on the playground, proud fathers and loving mothers embracing their sticky-cheeked little brat.

Something gross boiled up and burst in the pit of his stomach at the sight and Sasuke fled, walking briskly back unto the merciless streets to find something to pass the time until around six, at which time he'd already decided to pick something up for their dinner, passing Naruto's share off with the excuse that he'd gotten too much. It was already all planned out.

He ended up about a half mile away, in the spot where the old Uchiha compound stood. Now there were beautiful buildings erected; the very best for the very best clan. Well, clan member now that there was, and forever would be, only one Uchiha. Then, when he died, there would be none and the Uchiha stocks and land would be broken apart and sold. Sasuke felt a little uncomfortable with the thought, but he tried to accept it.

The peace and acceptance should come over time. All he knew, as he turned and started heading for Naruto's apartment, hoping the blonde would let him stay another night, was that there would be nothing in the world worth giving up Naruto. Nothing would be worth risking their life together.

If worse came to worst, he could allow Tsunade to examine his corpse when he died and take the sharingan's secret, implanting it into another unlucky clan's bloodline. Maybe even some sort of artificial insemination saved only until after his and Naruto's deaths or something, anything. Still dully pondering, not really considering over the options the raven stopped for their dinner and headed to the place he hoped would be his home for at least one more night.

Would it be like this forever; hoping, praying every night that Naruto would let him stay just one more night? What about when the house saved for last, his house, was finished in the compound? The contractor's report said it would be finished tomorrow, early. Fully furnished and all. Could he stave off telling Naruto until his welcome was fully worn out?

Slipping the spare key in the lock, Sasuke walked in to find a sleeping blonde, resting propped up with a yellow-clad head in his forearms, sitting at the only little table. Sasuke smiled, knowing no one could see it. This was why, the cause of his late unnatural kindness. Even though he knew he was already forgiven, that didn't matter until Naruto said it with his own words, out loud, preferably in some sort of intimate contact. The raven smirked wickedly, leaning down to kiss the sleeping boy's whiskered cheek.

A shower and dinner later, Sasuke emerged from the bathroom, toweling his hair dry as he crept into the only bedroom, checking to see if Naruto was still asleep. Bending forward, Sasuke stared into fluttering lashes, smirking as glazed indigo eyes opened slightly. Naruto smiled slightly, dreamily as he wrapped sudden, strong arms around Sasuke's neck, effectively pulling the surprised raven onto the bed and into a deep kiss. Stunned, Sasuke froze for a moment, before letting himself be kissed and caressed, trying desperately to commit every moment their hot lips intertwined into memory, it seemed like Naruto was trying to do the same.

The tall raven brushed ivory hands gently up, into the blonde's shirt, slipping it higher as his lips traveled down, devouring the tan neck, jaw, and those pink lips.

Naruto twined his fingers in Sasuke's silk hair, the raven felt a shocking wave of pleasure as their tongues met and danced, ivory fingertips grazed the boy's flat stomach; freezing as something jolted, much too warm, underneath and Naruto's lips broke their hold, hands suddenly pushing down his shirt.

What the hell was that?

The blonde, blue eyes wide, tried turning onto his stomach when Sasuke stopped him. There was definitely something wrong. What the hell had that been; that familiar electricity?

"Naruto you better answer me this time; what the hell was that?"

The boy unusually glued his lips shut and looked away; obviously not about to say a word.

"Naruto!" Sasuke felt his voice start to show his near panic, hearing it just the slightest bit through the cracks.

"Go to bed, Sasuke. Leave me alone."

Rebuked, Sasuke drew back for a moment before diving forward once again, determined to get an answer, he wrapped long arms around Naruto, holding the boy tight and close.

"No. Tell me now, dobe."

"Sasuke, get off me or stop asking. I'm tired already."

"What could be so bad that you'd hide it from me? I won't get mad."

"Shut up or I'm pushing you out."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and held the boy closer. Like hell he'd go down without a fight. A few minutes later, Sasuke tried again, whispering into the boy's pale spikes as the moon rose higher.

"Naruto, tell me now."

No answer. Propping himself up, the tall raven peered over to Naruto's face, smirking. He'd already fallen asleep, snoring lightly. Even in sleep, Sasuke could swear the boy looked like he was glowing. Carefully, not wanting to wake up the blonde, the Uchiha traveled slowly down to the boy's stomach, lifting the boy's thin t-shirt to reveal the boy's flat muscled stomach. Tentatively, black eyes strained an unbelievably inquisitive, ivory fingertips just barely brushed the boy's stomach again, jerking back at the slight shock and burning heat.

What could it be? Naruto was burning! Making sure the blonde wasn't stirring, Sasuke placed his fingers once again over the boy's tan skin, refusing to pull away again as the flames heated his palm. It was so… strange; strange and admittedly wonderful feeling. But this, this could be dangerous… The raven found himself placing a cool cheek on the heat, closing his eyes to the comforting warmth despite the fact.

He didn't remember falling asleep.

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Sasuke woke to an overheated cheek and cerulean eyes curious, almost pained stare, tan fingers threading through his hair. Naruto? Lifting his head, Sasuke realized he'd been asleep on the boy's bare stomach.

The raven stared, not bothering to be flustered for an excuse.

Naruto didn't ask, just leaning down to kiss him, eyes still gentle and strained. Red lips slow and sweet, Sasuke felt himself being pulled into the trance of the kiss, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck, rising to his knees to push forward, pressing their lips together hard enough to bruise but somehow wanting more.

Twining thin pale fingers through yellow locks, Sasuke's tongue ran across Naruto's bottom lip, biting down softly, opening those searing lips to reveal a new saccharine world. Sasuke felt himself stiffen as Naruto grasped his thighs in strong hands, parting them around a slim waist as he pushed Sasuke back unto the rumpled sheets, lush mouth nipping and marking his neck as he murmured incoherently.

Even though he knew exactly what had gotten Naruto so hot so early, Sasuke found himself being pulled along more than willingly. Naruto was trying to distract him.

It was definitely working.

Sasuke felt the strength leave his limbs when Naruto slipped his fingers under the loose elastic of his pants, meshing their lips with a new passion as heat poured through his veins in shocking electric flashes that boiled his insides from hardening cock up.

It was numbing his mind, soon enough he wouldn't be able to control his thoughts and the disjointed words would start dripping out his ears.

The boy gripped the slim waist above him with all the strength he had left, which wasn't much, letting the waves of pleasure wash through him when those hot fingers seized him entirely, moaning into Naruto's mouth, tongues battling vigorously. Sasuke bit his lip hard to keep from crying out as those damnably desirable fingers ghosted across his length, making him swell painfully with bursting heat that flooded his senses and flushed his skin pink with an overworking heart's searing blood. He couldn't hold back the gasps that left him as thin, warm calloused fingers slipped below, stroking the engorged vein underneath.

Damnnit, he was playing with him, and Sasuke already knew he would skip along happily, grunting and moaning down any path Naruto wanted, lead by a thick dull chain and a kinky spiked collar.

If there was something Sasuke had discovered from these new experiences with his blonde, it was that he was a screamer. The fact was proven one again as Naruto gripped him hard and pumped once, hand already slick with the residue leaking from his already glaringly full heat.

Damn, that happened faster than expected.

But all former embarrassment and resolve to try and prolong the inevitable bled out the boy's ears or was projected through his moaning mouth and tightly gripping fingers as the Naruto pumped again, mouth curled in an uncharacteristic smirk from the raven's sudden pleasure-induced shudder.

Sasuke could tell the boy was going to say something degrading about the fact that he got so damn hard so damn fast, so he cut him off, sealing the words with furious reddened lips. Excuses popped in his mind in case this came up later, things like the fact that he hadn't gotten any substantial action for a while so of course he'd be…excited.

"Ah…!" The raven decided to save his pride and just try to keep it together as Naruto's free hand traveled to wind around his straining neck, pushing his shirt up as it went.

"Just give it up Sasuke, there's no point in-" a pink tongue languidly caressed the pale boy's shivering skin, lusty blue eyes turning up to stare burning holes into black ones.

"-resisting."

The other hand thrust again, faster now and bruised lips left Sasuke's to roam his neck, then down to start wet kisses from navel up, leaving glistening red marks that stung so good.

The tall Uchiha's back arched in unexpected flood of pleasure as Naruto's tongue settled to lap at one nipple; stars were appearing in multicolored displays before his narrowed black eyes by the time his blonde let go to bring his mouth back to mesh with Sasuke's hungry one, then leaving it alone and starving for more.

"Sh-shut up, dumbass." Sasuke's hand brushed Naruto's pants, noticing for the first time how tight they were, loose just moments before. Bruised lips curved into a wicked smirk as he caught Naruto's surprised gaze, one eyebrow shooting up questioningly; Naruto reddened and shrugged, licking the corner of his upper lip in a way that made Sasuke shake with impatience.

Since when did Naruto get so…dirty?

One hand pushing the raven's legs further apart, black eyes widened before squeezing shut briefly in ecstasy as he clutched yellow hair and the blonde, tilting his head just enough to send shivers down the Uchiha's spine, brought his lips to the shaft of Sasuke's throbbing length, parting them just enough to reveal sharp, almost vampiric white canines and a pink tongue that flicked forward; just the sight itself was enough to send Sasuke over the edge, that tongue brushed his distended skin.

"Ngh!"

He came, colors swirling before glazed ink eyes as pink lips fell forward to capture Sasuke's in one last wave of throbbing pleasure before they broke apart, panting.

"'Bout damn time, teme."

"Hn." Sasuke rolled his eyes, still feeling a little satisfaction high.

Naruto was the first to get up; rolling on top of him to grin hugely an inch from his face, but what Sasuke was most interested in was the last little lusty remnant that clung desperately to those azure eyes, making fresh goose bumps rise on the Uchiha's alabaster skin.

"I'm going to take a shower." Sasuke smirked, hiding his anticipation of the inviting glint in Naruto's indigo eyes, drawing him forward like a puppet on strings to stumble after his blonde.

----------------------------------------

Sasuke finished toweling Naruto's hair dry gently, the blonde having fallen asleep in his lap on the only couch.

The raven leered sadistically; Naruto had reason to be asleep, having just been _thoroughly_ 'tired out'. 'Tired out' all over and hard up against every wall of the bathroom, the single tiny counter where the sink sat, pressed against the still steamy mirror, the floor with hot water pounding their backs, oh yes, he must be absolutely _exhausted_.

A greedy chuckle escaped the Uchiha's full lips, still reddened with fresh bruises and barely discernable bite marks. Mere flesh wounds, nothing compared to how he'd marked Naruto. Pale fingers caressed the sleeping boy's whiskered cheek tenderly, leaning down to smooth the blonde's slightly puckered lips with a placid kiss.

Blue eyes fluttered open, cracking just enough to reveal deep pools of sky reflected. The boy smiled.

"Sasuke, what time is it?"

"Around two. Do you have a mission today?"

Blonde brows furrowed, thinking for a moment before blue eyes widened and a look of panic crossed his features. The boy bolted up with a wince and a glare, rubbing his ass and running for the room to change and pack, cursing the whole time from the other room while Sasuke sat back and sniggered.

"Fuck! I'm going to be late!" Something crashed, the sounds of drawers slamming shut, clothes being thrown.

"Shit, shit, shit! I need to hurry, she's gunna be so pissed at me..." A blonde head peeked out from the doorway when Sasuke stopped chuckling, somehow feeling his question.

"It's only for a day. I'll be back tonight, maybe late."

Sasuke only nodded, gazing at the ceiling before closing his eyes. Something soft and warm landed on his lips for more than a second and ebon eyes flicked open to see Naruto's face an inch away, already pulling back. Sasuke caught a tan cheek, bringing the boy back for one more.

Just one more, then he would be satisfied.

Their mouths intertwined unhurriedly, heatedly, before parting. With one last look back and a blinding smile, Naruto rushed out the door, leaving Sasuke alone in the suddenly uncomfortably silent apartment. He sighed, listening to the sound reverberate through the walls, echoing. Black eyes glanced at the clock. It was still early; he could go to the shop with maybe even enough time to finish his tea before Sakura got there. Even with the earlier…distractions, he still wanted to know, if anything, more than ever.

With one last deep breath, the tall boy got up to wander into the room, picking up and putting away discarded clothes and making the bed. Somebody had to be the clean one.

Slipping on well-fitting black jeans over his boxers, Sasuke threw on a v-neck white t-shirt, deciding it wouldn't be a bad thing to maybe earn some extra brownie points and loosen her mouth perhaps a little more by looking good.

He shrugged, not needing to look into a mirror to know her reaction, a cocky little scowl on his delicate pale features. Even with his amazing mood, the thought of having to rely on someone else to give him something he wanted this badly was dampening his aura. Grabbing some more change, the boy closed and locked the door before heading out into the late summer sunshine. The day was bright and breezy, not too hot like it had been. The day marked the end of his second week in Konoha, counting from the time he was released.

Sasuke turned into the little shop, sitting at one of the tables for two and after almost a half hour ordering his tea and croissant. He was hungry after all that…exercise. The boy was still snickering evilly just as Sakura sat down.

"Sasuke-kun, you made it!" The girl crowed happily, seemingly disregarding the fact that he'd only agreed because she'd bribed him. Well, Sasuke looked over the happy pink-haired medic. Maybe she wasn't so bad, at least not like before, with that hapless…ehem…_helpless _victim attitude.

"Hn."

"So, how was your day so far?" Sakura didn't seem to miss Sasuke's sudden predatory smirk, the gleam in his eyes. Emerald eyes traveled to Sasuke's neck, where slight crimson marks were just barely peeking through.

"Great."

"That's, ah... good. Walk with me, would you?"

Sasuke almost groaned, wishing she would just get to the point and tell him what he needed to know. But of course deals don't work that way. They strode back the way they had before, ending up at the same bench, the Uchiha tried to hide his boredom at their useless small talk.

"Alright then, I'll get to the point; I wanted to congratulate you. Sorry it took me so long to work up the courage, but really, I'm happy for you both, and just know I fully support your decision."

"What?" What the hell was the girl going on about _now_?

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean- I mean, I fully support you if you wanted to… you know, abort. I actually recommended it, with all the risks against Naruto… I wasn't sure it would be worth it. I'd already told him this and Tsunade agreed but in the end he still didn't want-"

"_What_?" Naruto? Abort? What the _fuck_?! Sasuke felt his polite charade shatter under his glare; this girl was spouting shit. What was wrong with Naruto?!

"I-I-" Green eyes bulged at his expression; realization dawning as her face suddenly became horrified. "Ah…Y-you- Naruto said he'd already told you, I- I'm so sorry," One hand came up to cover her mouth, as if it could shove all her spilt words back in somehow, trembling under the last Uchiha's petrifying glare.

"Tell me _everything_." The command was unquestionable and unarguable. If she tried, resisted even a little, Sasuke could be sure he wouldn't snap.

With every new, rushed word that bled like gruesome rivers from the girl's lips, if felt like he could go under any second. He felt faint at the end as he shakily stood, rage and confusion and shock making him stiff and robotic. He needed to talk to Naruto.

A midnight black raven cawed from its perch on the tree above, beady garnet eyes glinting before it flew away into the darkening sky, frantic to get to its master.

------------------------------------------

Sasuke lay in wait, his previous good mood from just that morning burned away with the tumble of emotions that churned in his head, the most prominent of them all being fury.

He was furious at Naruto for keeping something like this, something like the _thing_ growing inside of him, killing him slowly, a secret. He was angry because this was his responsibility too, and Naruto had tried to shoulder the parasitic burden all on his own, not even considering that Sasuke could possibly want to help, want to be a part of the decision and want to be there for him to take responsibility of his creation.

But most of all, he was so angry at himself for not seeing it sooner, not noticing for himself that there was something wrong, he was angry at himself for not knowing what to think about the entire situation. He just didn't know-

Pale hands clutched at silk black hair, rubbing his suddenly tired eyes, pushing back the worry lines that creased his forehead as the boy rocked back in his seat at the little table, waiting desperately for Naruto to come home.

The door clicked and Sasuke's heart leapt far into his throat, he looked up, hearing the beat thrumming through his ears. The blonde walked in, looking tired and worried for a second, and then spotting Sasuke, happy and energetic. The charade wouldn't fool him any longer. Sasuke glowered back.

"What?" He would give him a chance, a chance to tell him himself.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Naruto looked surprised for a moment, wary, but then he shrugged.

"Not really, why?"

"Are you _sure_, Naruto?" Sasuke pressed, frustration leaking through his monotone voice. "Nothing, nothing at all you think I might want, no,_ need_ to know?"

"Nothing you'd be interested in."

Sasuke snapped, slamming a hard fist on the table, sending little spider web cracks through the wood.

"Bullshit! Don't fuck with me. You and I both know that you do have something to say, so just come out with it! I shouldn't have to hear about all this second-hand from _Sakura_ of all people."

"Hey! If you want to break shit, do it in your own house. I can slam my fist too, you know." Naruto growled, still the only one brave enough to step closer to Sasuke when he was like this. "And I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Don't fuck around! You know exactly what I'm talking about, you can't be that stupid, dumbass. Or is it that you want me to come right out and say it?"

"I'm not stupid you little fuck. And yeah, that would help, since I still have no idea what the hell you're so riled up about. Get some Goddamn tampons if you're going to start being all moody and sulky again. Damn; and I was having a pretty good day, too."

Naruto walked into the kitchen dismissively, leaving Sasuke frozen in his seat. How the hell…? The raven buried his aching head in his hands before getting up and stalking to the kitchen. How the hell did anyone get this stupid and survive past the age of ten? Sasuke stopped in the entrance to the tiny kitchen, still angry.

"Dumbass, I'm talking about you having something _inside _you, remember that? The 'thing' that is half mine, but you still didn't tell me about it and, according to Sakura, you never were planning to?" The blonde boy stopped what he was doing, frozen.

"Oh."

"Oh? Oh?! Naruto, what the hell were you thinking?! This thing, it could kill you, and it's my fault! Why the hell didn't you tell me about it?!"

Naruto whirled to face his accuser, face far from apologetic.

"Because I don't even know myself, and-"

"Tsunade told you personally today!"

"Shut up! Let me finish, teme. I didn't know myself, I mean, you know just as well as I do that I am one hundred percent a _guy,_ so it's really… really _weird_ and confusing! So shut up because you don't even know what the hell I'm going through! You don't know anything!"

"And whose fault is it that I don't know anything, huh? I could've known! Didn't you ever think that maybe I would want to know about the thing I helped make that's killing you from the inside?!"

"It's not a thing!" The small boy's outburst surprised them both, voice echoing in the sudden silence.

"It's not a thing, Sasuke" Naruto's voice quieted to a whisper. "It's alive, has a little heartbeat and everything. I don't care what other people say; I still think it's human. It's mine. It's mine, and it's yours too, so don't go around calling it a thing. This is just as much my desicion."

Naruto stepped forward, his simmering anger and Sasuke's stillness making him braver.

"And, I wanted to tell you; really, everyday was a struggle, especially this morning when I found you sleeping on my stomach." Cerulean eyes bore holes in Sasuke's, he felt himself look away, not being able to stare Naruto in the face for some reason.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you and that you had to find out from Sakura, but you have to understand, I was…" Naruto looked away, suddenly embarrassed, then he looked Sasuke straight in the eyes,

"I was…just a little…afraid. I was scared that you would go away again, or feel obligated like you are now, or want nothing to do with me, you know, 'cause I'm _totally_ a _guy_ and am…p-pre… having a b-baby, and that's pretty…freakish."

The last words grew so quiet, Sasuke was straining to hear them. He felt the anger fade and grow cold the second the word _away_ left Naruto's lips, leaving him unbearably tired. He had known that what he'd done would be there, standing between them forever, even if just as a scar. It was prominent now.

"It's okay to say it, Naruto." Sasuke stepped forward, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms around his blonde and bury his face in those quivering blonde spikes. Well, it certainly explained all the symptoms. One more step and Naruto was safely tucked away in long, pale arms, Sasuke finally feeling himself relax, feeling the boy in his arms melt as well, leaning into his chest, nuzzling his neck.

"It's okay to say it" He whispered into Naruto's ear, "you-you're… pregnant." He felt the boy shudder underneath his weight, hands suddenly hanging tightly on to his sides.

"D-don't say it, it's… weird. It makes me feel really gross, unnatural."

Sasuke pulled back a little.

"Naruto, you may be unnatural, but there is nothing gross about you." He felt the hard punch in his ribs, wincing slightly.

"Don't be an asshole, teme." Naruto mumbled into his shirt, but his arms squeezed tighter.

"By the way, I'm not doing this out of obligation, and I'm not going to leave again. I already promised you that."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Want me to prove it to you?" Sasuke smirked as Naruto pulled back at the sultry words, surprised.

"You're still horney, even after this morning? Damn, Sasuke, I think maybe _you're_ the unnatural one."

"What can I say; blame it on teenage hormones."

Naruto smiled lightly and Sasuke sensed his own spirits lift a little. This was how things should've been from the beginning. He should've been there. Sasuke felt his eyebrows knit together once more, but stopped them, smoothing out his forehead to face his lover as the boy spoke.

"Yeah, well _I'm_ exhausted, so I'm going to sleep. Sasuke went with Naruto to change and brush his teeth, washing his face with extra cold water. After he was done, The tall raven leant on the inside of the doorway, watching Naruto in his t-shirt and striped pajama bottoms pull back the covers and crawl in, then stare at the doorway.

Sasuke felt his heart race, his face flush with pleasure, just the barest pink in the dark, when Naruto patted the spot beside him. Coinciding, the Uchiha crept into the opposite side of the bed, scooting into the middle and feeling arms wrap comfortingly around his waist, hugging him tight. A breath of air fluttered his hair as Naruto sighed; Sasuke buried his face into the boy's chest, enveloping the other boy in his arms. Face still hidden in Naruto's firm chest, Sasuke couldn't help but ask.

"So…Sakura said something about…surgery."

He heard a heavy sigh above him.

"I-I don't know. I don't want to kill it, I just- I'm barely going to be 17, Sasuke, and you just turned 17. How can we be expected to be good parents at this age? And," Sasuke closed his eyes as Naruto ran his fingers through black locks, just trying to focus on the comfort that emanated from those petting fingers.

"I mean, we just started, you know, being together. This relationship just barely started, and now we've suddenly been shoved into what would normally be the last stage. And, I'm _so_ a _guy_, you have no idea how…_wrong_ this feels."

Small muscled arms squeezed him tighter, and Sasuke squeezed back. This is really happening. He would be there this time, with Naruto. They would be together in this, whatever the decision. Strangely enough though, the reality hadn't hit him yet, he felt almost numb. Naruto took a deep breath, thumb pushing back Sasuke's bangs as he mumbled.

"Mm… So, so you want to get it… removed?"

"Yes."

"I…I guess so…"

Sasuke looked up, eyes boring holes into anxious blue, reaching one hand up to stroke a scarred cheek.

"It's for the best."

He didn't get an answer, Naruto taking one more deep breath before closing his eyes and relaxing back into the pillow, asleep in seconds. Sasuke didn't sleep all night.

* * *

**(AN) Oh damn.**

**lol**

**I'll be going on vacation soon, so this'll be the last update for a while. Maybe I'll be able to write a little while i'm away, since i'm taking my computer, but i doubt they have internet.**

**Xd **

**But, you know what might be a really really nice surprise for when i get back into connectivity? Lots'a Reviews! C;**

**Much, Much Love, like the Love you've all shown me.**

**Bright Eyed.**

**btw.** This whole thing has nothing to do with my own beliefs. I'm personally pro-life, (the only exceptions being rape and the mother's life in danger) but if your opinion differs, well, i could get into a huge debate about the whole thing and i'd rather not, so yeah. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

(unless their opinion is just plain retarded. I mean really, really stupid.)

.


	5. 5Of The Red Eyed Raven

I'm back! (cheers) this chapter is gunna be a little smaller, and updates might be coming in a little slower; i've already manged to catch up with myself and need to get writing.

**Thank you so much**- to all those wonderful, beautiful people who have reviewed and are so damn nice to me. If i could, i would give you all big bear hugs. But since i can't i'll have to settle on trying to imrpove my writing! ^-^ Thanks again and keep reading and reviewing please!

**5**Of the Red Eyed Raven

* * *

Inky pools glowed continuously clearer as the Uchiha watched the sun rise. He hadn't slept all night, maybe catching a few minutes here and there but mainly just watching Naruto and curiously fingering the boy's over-heated abdomen, waiting for the terrible news to really hit him. He was still waiting, but the dread was slowly creeping into his heart like a rotting smell.

Naruto stirred, arms still holding the raven close pressed against his chest, black-clad head tucked under his chin. Sasuke didn't ever want to move, but as the sun rose blonde lashes flicked open suddenly and the kitsune pushed violently off the bed, running into the little bathroom.

Sasuke groaned into the pillow as he heard wretches, black eyes closing in brief pity. After a minute of silent, ardent curses the raven got up slowly, stiff from the long sleepless night, to wander into the kitchen to get his poor vomiting blonde some water. Appearing in the narrow doorway, Sasuke decided it was time for him to pet the boy comfortingly; running long, thin fingers through the boy's yellow silk hair, standing supportively as the blonde collapsed back unto his leg, closing his eyes to the sky and Sasuke's impassive features.

"I hate this."

The raven sighed, leaning slightly on the doorway. He hated it too. He wanted it gone, their lives to return to something relatively normal. It would be the savior of his clan, but the death of his love, and he couldn't let that happen. Too many times had he let his own goals hurt, almost kill Naruto; he would not let it happen again.

"Yeah, me too."

They stayed like that for a long time, Sasuke running his fingers in a calming comfort through Naruto's yellow locks, the boy's tan features deceptively peaceful, both pairs of eyes closed to take in the momentary quiet. Tsunade would waste no time, she would probably want to do the procedure same-day. Sasuke tried feeling composed about it; he tried to feel anxious for it all to be over, for the very real danger to Naruto to be gone already.

He wasn't, he couldn't. It was strange.

"We're going to be late." Naruto made no move to get up, speaking strained with his face still upturned, deep eyes still squeezed shut, like he was trying to shut out their problems.

"Hn."

Blue eyes flicked open suddenly, determinedly as the boy got up, walking without a word to brush his teeth and change. An elbow-length sleeved black shirt and well-fitting jeans later, the blonde came out into the hallway, the First's necklace glowing low where it bounced on his chest. Sasuke still hadn't moved, fighting a silent inner battle, trying to force himself to be excited or nervous or angry or _something_ at least.

"Sasuke, go change already. We'll be late." The boy grinned from the tiny kitchen.

"I'll make something, but you definitely going to have to start some lessons or something, you know? For real."

Sasuke smirked, eyes still shut. Yes, this was how it would be, just the two of them. Forever. Who knew he was such a sap, huh? With a deep breath and an irritated atmosphere, the boy went to change into a deep blue shirt, the Uchiha symbol printed on the sleeve and some old torn white jeans over his blue striped boxers, a black belt. With a hidden yawn, the raven headed into the kitchen to wrap his arms around his little blonde, who stood stirring something on the stove.

"I'm not eating that, dobe."

"What the hell's wrong with ramen?"

"At seven in the morning?"

"Yeah, at seven. You don't have to eat."

"But I'm hungry…" The raven whispered sultrily into one suddenly red tipped ear.

"Pervert."

"Mm." Sasuke leered, tightening his hold.

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Naruto played with his thumbs. He couldn't stand the atmosphere; it was seriously dampening his character. The ambiance was that of a dirty puke green, maybe more like a flashing, petrifying red. Either way, it was _really_ far from pleasant.

Tsunade glared dangerously from behind her desk, hands clasped very business-like. Sasuke glared from his stance, arrogantly standing with a narcissistic atmosphere to make any Uchiha proud. The ancestors, of course, as they were about to get rid of any future clan members. Sasuke didn't look too beat up about that; in fact, he had looked pretty calm about the entire thing, analyzing the situation in that stupidly cool Uchiha way, deciding on the smartest option in an instant. The blonde's eyes shifted between the growling predators again.

Damn, and the morning had seemed so promising, too. Naruto blinked blue eyes, feeling a small drop of sweat bead on his forehead. This had been going to for all of five minutes and he was already sweating.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you'd better quit your glaring, this is your fault after all. And you'd better keep your little adolescent comments to yourself and not interrupt me."

Naruto shifted his eyes in what he hoped was a relatively discreet move back to Sasuke. To his surprise, the boy just put on a condescending face and leaned back in his chair.

"Anyways, boys, I called you here to see what you want to do about it. I assume Sasuke has already been filled in by my still sniffling pupil, Sakura, so we'll start at your decision."

Naruto whirled to face Sasuke, ignoring Tsunade momentarily.

"What the hell did you do to Sakura, bastard?!"

"Nothing. It isn't my fault if she is particularly thin-skinned."

"Yes it is you little asshole! Would it kill you to be nice for once?!"

"It might. You never know."

Naruto was pushing out of his chair to punch the Uchiha in the face when Tsunade decided to intervene, slamming a steely fist into her severely abused old desk, on the mountain of old papers and the new letter from the Raikage, written in harsh black ink that scrawled angry words.

"Both of you; shut up! I'm not here to babysit brats! I'm here to inform two stupid teenage parents on their options and their possible outcomes, so quiet down and listen."

The woman's fiery amber eyes glinted just so, sending little hidden shivers down Naruto's spine. She was really serious. The boy eased back into his seat, glancing quickly at Sasuke, who was busy glaring a burning hole into the woman's desk; he was unused to accepting this kind of treatment. Naruto smirked quietly to himself, served the arrogant Uchiha right to learn a bit of forced obedience.

"Naruto, you need to take this seriously! This is a very serious desicion! My only opening is today. I already have everything prepped so it would be this afternoon. Decide now."

Naruto felt his suddenly racing heartbeat pound in his ears. Already? So soon? He wasn't ready, he didn't know, he didn't know what he want-

"Naruto, we already decided, right?"

Blue eyes turned up to search black, trying to hide his panic and rejection of the idea. It was for the best, like Sasuke said. He'd already chickened out once, now he had a support. So everything would be fine; right?

Everything would be fine. He wasn't ready for kids, they weren't ready, and they never would be. The guilt would go away because it was the right thing to do, right? It was the right thing, it was the right thing. Naruto chanted it in his head as he forced bravery on his features to try to swallow his fear, his fluttering heart and turned to Tsunade, nodding.

"We want to… remove it."

The old woman's face was unreadable, her eyes glinting something, staring first at Naruto questioningly, then at Sasuke with a frustrated expectancy.

"Really? There's no changing your minds later. This would be it, and they would be gone forever."

"Really." Sasuke's low tone was dead-set and unquestionable before Naruto had a chance to voice his shaky assurances. He couldn't think; thoughts were flying millions of miles per hour through his mind, making him unable to protest being spoken for. For once, he couldn't decide for himself; but Sasuke knew him pretty well, so it would be okay, right?

"Alright then. I'll send someone to bring you both to the prepping room." Another expectant glare at Sasuke and the woman walked through the door, leaving the two silent boys in the office. Naruto tried taking deep breaths, focusing on not bringing a hand to his stomach or listening to Kyuubi's growls.

_It's for the best. It's for the best. It's for the best… _

Sasuke looked concentrated, sharp black eyes downturned, fingers intertwined covering his lips. Naruto focused all his might to the boy, staring hard, trying to convey his racing thoughts, his one request. Just one word, that's all he needed.

Just one word of encouragement, and that would be it. He would be able to go through with it without feeling some misguided sense of loss. Just a few, Naruto gripped his chair's arm harder as the silent minutes rolled by slimily and someone came in. Naruto walked too close to the other boy, secretly and pathetically hoping they would bump hands and Sasuke would hold his hand, even just for a second, just one squeeze.

Black eyes were still engrossed in their own thoughts as Naruto walked out of the bathroom he'd gone into to change, still preoccupied with his own thoughts and worries. The blonde felt stupid for hoping.

It was stupid to be wishing for something like support, especially from someone like Sasuke. Naruto had always been an independent person, not needing to depend on anyone else for anything. This would be the same. This had to be the same.

Naruto shuffled into the lumpy gurney on his own, turning his head slightly to face Sasuke as the nurse came in to wheel him away. Time already. Naruto shut his eyes tight, clenching his fist to try and pump some feeling back into his numbed senses. He couldn't possibly take care of a child, not with his resources, not with his position, what if the council though it wasn't human and decided to take it away? It would be better for it to not see the horrors past its warm little world. It could live and die knowing it was loved, even if it was only by one of its parents.

Suddenly there was something cool and large covering one clenched fist, a hand. Sasuke's hand. Naruto felt relief flood through him, calming his throbbing heart as warm lips brushed first his forehead, then pressed lightly to his lips. Stormy azure eyes opened to find swirling inky pools, dead of emotion a foot away.

His final hopes of support were crushed then.

Naruto held his breath as the nurse wheeled his bed away and the air left his lungs, leaving Sasuke behind with his own thoughts.

It was the right thing to do. It had to be.

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"I'd almost gained a little faith in you, Uchiha. I guess age is just taking its toll." Sasuke felt the woman's presence in the room at the same time her venomous voice had reached him.

It was over, then.

"Yes, it's finished. The fetuses are being readied for cremation now. There won't be a ceremony."

"Fetuses?" Sasuke wasn't surprised at how dead his voice sounded, how lifeless and dispassionate. A perfect reflection of its maker.

"Yes. There were four altogether, still fairly early in development."

Four.

"How is Naruto?"

"He's asleep. The surgery went well, all things considered. It was rather easy, as Naruto is male, and therefore the energy sac wasn't connected to too much with tissue, just chakra."

"Hn."

"You're quite the little Uchiha, aren't you? The clan really lives up to its name. I think I can only recall one that had a bit of good in him in the end."

Sasuke didn't answer, still wading deep in thoughtlessness.

"Look at me."

The raven turned his murky gaze as directed, still seated under the cold florescent light of the hospital waiting room.

"You're pathetic. And here I'd been expecting at least a shred of integrity from you, at least a hint that you might actually have a pair in the making, seeing as you managed to get a _boy_ pregnant."

The Uchiha glared from his seat, a tiny spark returning to his eyes.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"You, Uchiha, you are currently my problem; you and your lack of a brain, heart, and balls. Altogether everything and anything that makes a person worth loving or even living."

"Fuck you, how could you know anything? You're just an old hag meddling in problems that aren't yours."

The woman slammed a fist into the wall next to the raven's aching head, held rigid in his hands. He looked up as he heard pieces fall and shatter to the floor, huge cracks riddling the length of the wall as more chunks dropped with dull thuds. He looked up, feeling his life-giving hatred return with each shattering piece.

"No, little brat; I know exactly what the hell I'm saying, unlike you, ignorant boy. This became my problem as soon as I had to become an abortionist for you and your mistaken decision. Whether I wanted it or not, it became my problem as soon as you fucked Naruto."

"It became my problem, Sasuke," the woman crumbled a huge stone in her bare grasp, leaning in closer to whisper in the boy's ear "just as soon as you ran away from it."

"That's why it's my problem now, because you're just a little cowardly pussy who can't deal."

Sasuke rippled. What the hell did she know?! No, she didn't know, because she wasn't the one who was about to become a fucking _father_ at age 17, not to mention it would be at the cost of her only reason to even be alive!

"Weren't you vying to get it removed anyway, Tsunade-_sama_?"

The woman exhaled in impatience. Acting like she knew everything, it wasn't going to be her responsibility; she wasn't at fault for something that could've killed Naruto. This was for the best. It was.

"I wasn't vying, Sasuke. That was my recommendation as a medical professional. Do you want to know why I didn't push it in the end, young Uchiha?" The Hokage dusted her fingers, looking at Sasuke through infuriatingly pitying eyes.

"Because even I wasn't blind enough that I could still see that wasn't really what Naruto wanted, and in the end, it was supposed to be his decision. But you're good at ignoring things that don't agree with what you want, aren't you? With your eyes, I was hoping you would see it. But I suppose I overestimated the Uchiha clan on this."

The woman walked into her office, leaving Sasuke to stew in his anger and, surprisingly, his almost overwhelming guilt. He wasn't supposed to be feeling guilty, it wasn't like he forced Naruto's decision, and anyway, since when did the boy let others affect his decision making?

Sasuke bent the steel handles of the chair until they were indiscernible snakes of molded metal, twisting into unnatural poses. When he was finished, the boy stalked out to the roof. He couldn't visit Naruto like this; he'd probably end up breaking down.

Leaning on the thick plaster and cement railing, the raven rested an aching, churning head in his hands. This was too much to handle. He made the right choice; Naruto would've been in danger with that spawn in his body. It would've been dangerous for him. That was why they had to get rid of it. Them.

Get rid of them.

There had been four babies in there, sucking the life out of his blonde.

No; the boy closed his eyes, feeling the breeze tug at his clothes, at his hair, no, he couldn't think of them like that. It actually made him feel worse.

A coarse caw at his side made the boy lift his head in surprise. A little boy, no older than eight leant against the wall a few feet away, a garnet beady-eyed raven on his little outstretched hand. From his angle, Sasuke could discern thin, wavy shoulder-length black hair, it cut across his olive-toned, cherubic face with huge, intelligent dark teal eyes that looked into souls and read minds.

Or at least, that's how it felt when the boy glanced at him with a coy little smile, still tickling the large raven familiarly.

"My dad's really nice."

Sasuke didn't answer, hoping the brat would just leave him alone to sulk. All the thoughts of fathers and fatherhood were making him sick.

"My…other dad's really nice too, but not as nice as my dad. This is his eyes, 'cause he's blind."

The little boy made an attempt to show Sasuke the cawing bird; the older boy didn't turn from gazing sullenly over the view.

"They adopted me, you know. Just plucked me off the streets like a stray; it just happened to be my lucky day."

Sasuke gripped the cement to keep from throwing the kid over the railing and watching him splat on the street below. How the hell did he get up here anyway?

"It was my other dad, my blonde daddy who found me. Their teaching me a bunch of awesome stuff now; I've been with them for almost a year now." The boy grinned cheekily.

"I really love them both. They sent me 'cause they said I was inconspicuous. But when I get back, we'll all be together and watch my other daddy make cool stuff. Well, I'll watch while my daddy holds my hand or somthin', 'cause he's blind and all."

"Get the hell away from me _now_." Obviously silence wasn't going to get the brat away. It seemed either the boy was oblivious of the Uchiha's venomous atmosphere or he was ignoring it, a hard feat to accomplish without years of practice.

"Alright, alright, just a second." The boy produced a little whistle, blowing hard, the little thing barely rattled. When he finished, the boy's face was purple.

"Heh, still getting used to that. I'll be gone soon. But before I do, I wish you luck, Uchiha Sasuke. My daddy says to use your brain. Well, those are my words, he said it much nicer but I don't think you deserve it."

The boy grinned, Sasuke watched in mute shock as a huge flock of ravens surrounded the boy, swirling in a horde before flying off. And the boy with the cherubic face was gone, leaving Sasuke alone at last. Weird little brat. It wasn't particularly strange for him to know Sasuke; he was pretty famous for being the last Uchiha, but what about the 'dad'?

Sasuke shook his head; this wasn't the time to be getting all worked up over this. The boy would soon be with his father and it would all be forgotten. The little boy would be with his father. Both his fathers.

What…what would it have felt like… to…to actually be a father?

Pale fingers clutched his hair tightly, head bowed to the rail. This was so stupid, that little brat and his careless words having any sort of effect on him. But…

He was going to be a father.

He was going to be a dad.

A father.

A father better than his father had been.

He would've been proud of his little boy or girl as they threw their first weapon, he would never have compared them to each other. All-…all four of them. Or would he have?

The raven knelt, face still hidden by his forearms, pressed hard against the cold plaster. He would've been a father with Naruto. Naruto, Naruto, those were Naruto's. They would've had his smile, his big blue eyes, and his strength. Sasuke was painfully weak.

Had Naruto thought of names, names for their dead little children?

Sasuke crumpled to the ground, feeling something hot leaking into his arms, ashamed of this moment of weakness. One of countless. Had the real mistake just been made?

This was so stupid, he was such an idiot.

Naruto…Naruto had wanted them. But he hadn't said anything. He shouldn't have had to say anything. Sasuke should've just known, known like the old fucking hag had known.

The raven gripped his hair as he clenched his teeth to a ripping sob. This was so stupid. He shouldn't be crying over his children, children he killed, children who were being burned right now. He hated kids, he hated…He really, really, really hated kids. Sasuke curled there for a long time, locking his jaw against the tearing, earth-shattering bawls that wracked his body.

His children. Naruto's children. He killed them. All of them.

It was his fault.

It was for the best, right? It was…

* * *

**(AN) You all hate me now, huh?**

**Yeah, i understand. I hate me too a little bit for this. But anything else just seemed so fake and wrong after i though of this, so i just couldn't write anything else. Sorry again guys; but don't worry, the world keeps spinning if you know what i mean. i won't give any hints to ruin the rest of the story but yeah. Send me your love or your flames. Or both; preferably love.**

**Thanks again!**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	6. 6Of Dry Regret and His Savior

Mm, savor this chapter, 'cause it's my very last quick update. lol. But seriously.

**Thanks** to all who reviewed, you are soo appreciated! i reeally want to get to 45 reviews soon tho, could anyone help me with that, por gran favor? *^^*

(if so, i might think of updating sooner, ne?) C;

ah, the sour tang of those beloved lemons...

**6**Of Dry Regret and His Savior

* * *

Sasuke pivoted against one last turn; this was it, his final attack. Naruto really was a goddamn stamina freak.

Six months. Six months of countless missions, most of which against the brewing war between the Suna-Konoha alliance and Kumogakure. Tsunade had yet to reveal what Kumo wanted. Six months of slow recovery for both him and especially Naruto. It had taken three and a half months of hard campaigning just to see the boy smile, and that one had been pitifully fake, they all were. Sasuke didn't smile anymore; more than ever since the time Kyuubi invaded his dream. It was one of the few times Sasuke actually fell asleep, one of the fewer he stayed that way long enough to dream. It had come as just a voice in pitch darkness. It had told him their sexes.

They had been too little for Tsunade or anyone to be able to tell, but the mourning, angry Kyuubi had known because it was there, first hand, creating the little ones. Two beautiful girls and a little boy; the fourth had been too small even for Kyuubi to know.

Sasuke didn't talk the next day, afraid hearing his own damnable voice would break him and he would curl up and sob pitifully in front of Naruto, who must've been feeling a thousand times worse anyway. Despite himself, guilt stood a huge part of each day.

Sasuke swerved to face Naruto; suddenly an inch away, they were both out of power now. One option left. With an effort induced grunt the tall boy swerved, tackling the blonde to the grassy ground where they rolled, battling to top. In the end, Naruto had an utterly exhausted Sasuke pinned hard against the ground, a victorious smile plastered on his face.

Sasuke had moved out three months ago, now he was living in the Uchiha compound, but Naruto visited so often it wasn't too different except for the occasional lonely night Sasuke spent staring out the window. He was really tempted to take up smoking just for something to do on those nights.

With lusty eyes, the raven sat up, taking hold of a scarred tan cheek as he rose slowly, brushing trembling red lips against Naruto's in the mid-autumn afternoon sun. Naruto pushed them back down, pressing their lips closer together as Sasuke found himself once again pinned to the ground by strong arms, hands that swept over his bare chest, lips that smiled brightly, if not still tainted, once again into his own.

Things were practically back to normal, despite those occasional horrible moments when the world crumbled around those two little girls, the little boy and the one no one would ever know. Instead, Sasuke looked up at the sun, instead of them Sasuke got to keep his light safe.

As long as they stayed together, Sasuke felt like he could deal with that. Only if they were together. Apart, Sasuke was still a bit of a mess, if much, much less than before. In another few months, he would be fine. Hopefully. But what he couldn't tell; what was killing him was the question, how was Naruto? The boy hadn't cried at all, at least not that he knew of. He was more of a man than Sasuke was.

--------------------------

The boy bumped his blonde's hand; simultaneously they reached to weave their fingers together, not really caring about the busy streets. It was sunset, and there were hundreds of other couples out there, holding hands on the streets. Plus it wasn't like they were kissing or having sex on the streets; they weren't even in any sort of intimate embrace. People still stared like they'd just seen two ghosts getting it on on a countertop or something. The bastard, traitorous last Uchiha holding hands with the demon fox turned village hero.

What would their families say? Oh, right. Well that's just horrible.

The common civilian's thought process was so simple it hurt.

A tug on his hand lured Sasuke back into reality, where Naruto was grinning back to him, leading them towards a little shop where they sold…office supplies?

Sasuke rolled his eyes, following reluctantly. It seemed the hormones still hadn't worn off, or they had a permanent effect. Something sharp jabbed Sasuke in the chest; an annoying shred of guilt.

"I need to get some pencils and permanent markers and stuff. It'll just be a sec."

Sasuke smirked, leaning casually on the railing. They left a few minutes later, still holding hands, Naruto with a bag full of permanent markers and pencils and such, overjoyed with his new chuunin salary, Sasuke had a practically empty bag with a little packet of thin, quarter sized rubber bands for scrolls and papers and stuff. Without having to say a word, they headed towards the Uchiha compound, like most nights after a mission together. Like tonight.

Despite the fact that they had just come back from a two-week long mission and they had just sparred with all their strength, Sasuke was surprisingly energetic; much more so when thinking of the shower and…night waiting for him a few feet ahead through his front door.

The house was huge and clean, full of sharp, modern lines and spotless surfaces. It looked the opposite of lived in. At least, it did until Naruto sprawled on the couch, throwing down his bag and embracing a lucky pillow.

"Mm, Sasuke your stuff smells so good all the time."

"It's called cleanliness, dumbass. You should try it sometime. You know where the shower is, so get off my _white_ couch."

Naruto stuck his tongue out, rubbing himself deeper into the couch to make a point before getting up and heading in the general direction of the bathroom.

"Where's my stuff, Sasuke?"

"In the laundry. It was all…messed up. You can borrow something."

"Yeah, yeah, teme, I got it." The blonde turned back, grinning. "I've been here plenty."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, getting ready for his own shower. He was filthy, it was disgusting. Luckily for Naruto, the tall boy smirked, he had two baths. Then the smirk disappeared. Naruto hadn't let him see him completely naked since the operation; in fact, it seemed like the blonde hadn't even wanted to see himself since then. Was it because of the scars? It seemed Kyuubi had refused to heal them.

Throwing a towel and some black and white striped boxers along with some loose black sweatpants that bore black and white, white-lined Uchiha symbols down half the leg the boy wandered down narrow hallways to the second shower.

It wasn't cold enough to need a shirt, especially with Naruto over. The raven leered rapaciously.

Stepping into his room, towel still mopping at his hair, Sasuke froze and stared for a moment, leaning against the doorframe. Naruto was spread out on his spotless floor, deep indigo eyes closed behind thick lashes and sunny blonde bangs.

He was smiling to himself, probably already asleep. The theory was abandoned when the boy stopped smiling, mouth pursing into a consuming grimace; inching fingers to tentatively brush his stomach, wincing at what Sasuke assumed was the normal temperature, the lack of a heated spark. Blue eyes still closed, Naruto kept rubbing his stomach lightly, a look of pain hidden deep in his features. This was why Naruto's happiness seemed so fake and forced.

Sasuke crept into the room silently to kneel down next to the blonde, the small boy still oblivious of his presence. Taking those rubbing fingers in his, Sasuke bent to press a pale face into the boy's stomach, closing his eyes as well, secretly missing the comfort and heat that usually ebbed from the boy's belly.

It was his fault; but it was to save Naruto, so it was worth it. They would get over this soon.

"Sasuke, what're you doing?"

"Mm…"

He didn't want to move, hiding his face against the boy's hard, flat stomach, forearms snaking around the boy's head like a muscled pillow, legs thrown on either side of his blonde's.

"Naruto." The whisper went unanswered, Sasuke still not brave enough to look up or even open his eyes. He was a coward.

"It wasn't really for the best, was it, Sasuke?"

Sasuke clenched a fist. As much as he hated to admit it, Tsunade had been right. But- it was to save Naruto. He had had to save him.

This was his fault, this dry regret in Naruto's voice. All he had wanted was for nothing to ever take his blonde away. But in the end his own stupidity, his falsely possessive claim hurt Naruto. Part of this had been because of the scars left behind from when he'd left. Both times. So what could he do; what could he say so that Naruto knew that he would stay with him forever, and that something like this would never happen again? That he could tell Sasuke anything.

So that he knew Naruto felt the same?

Squeezing his eyes tightly, after a silent moment, something popped up. It was a long shot, but hell. Black ink pools cracked open behind thick, long lashes. It was worth a try.

Leaning up, the raven planted a chaste kiss on his blonde's lips before getting up and walking out of the room and downstairs to the living room, heart pounding behind his serene, expressionless face.

Would he even agree? Sasuke wiped the collected sweat from his palms before re-entering the room, eyes focused determinedly at the blonde before him, half sitting up and half still sprawled, huge azure eyes curious. Sasuke took a breath.

Forcing his features to remain their perfect calm despite his sweating palms and pounding heart, Sasuke sat down across from Naruto. What should he do with his hands?

Another breath, unsuccessfully trying to calm his buzzing mind and throbbing heart, and the tall raven couldn't stand it anymore.

Suddenly looking straight into wide cerulean eyes, long slender arms wrapped around the smaller boy's tan neck and their lips connected, sensually, slowly with a saccharine languidity that spun the world like a top; all revolving around those pair of bruising red lips that intertwined in heartbreaking patterns.

This was what he wanted to keep forever, no intrusions.

When they disconnected, it was sluggish and unhurried, as if they were both torn whether to just keep kissing and forget everything else or come back to reality. Sasuke smiled a little for the first time since they entered Konoha hospital. Abruptly excited, one pale hand came to cup a whisker-scarred cheek; black eyes tore themselves from blue to look down into the other hand, a closed fist.

"Naruto, I love you."

No answer from the other boy, just a forlorn look with searching blue eyes that made Sasuke's heart beat harder. The last time he'd said it, he'd just ended up breaking the other boy's heart more, so it was expected that he'd be a little hesitant.

"Here. This is my promise. I'll always be there, from now on."

The raven opened his hand, revealing two of the little black office rubber bands he'd bought earlier. With an almost tentative gaze Sasuke took one of the two bands, gently pushing it up to fit snugly on Naruto's left ring finger. He smiled a little more when the boy didn't take it off, instead taking the other band from Sasuke's hand.

"You promised, Sasuke." Blue eyes caught his and Sasuke felt his heart ache wretchedly. It felt like it would explode. But he kept perfectly still as Naruto apprehensively pushed the other thin black band over Sasuke's pale finger, waiting with mounting trepidation until it was pushed all the way up.

"Then I promise too. I-I love you."

Sasuke could barely wait until the last word was out of the boy's mouth before the ache in his heart became too much and his frantic mouth reached Naruto's, pressing to the point of pain, opening to be explored by a sweet tongue.

It was still so much, his chest still felt more than tight. Twining pale fingers in silky yellow hair, the boy grasped tight to the waist under him, pulling it up to press against his own, crushing them together; loving the warmth of the body under him. Loving the warmth of Naruto under him.

"Nn…" The tall raven shivered as fingers brushed across his bare backbone, inching lower and lower until they stroked past the small of his back, Sasuke felt his blood rush and his heat stiffen as those fingers pressed circles into his inner thigh and continued their migration, circling around and coming back up to grip his bare muscled chest as their lips parted and tongues laced.

Pulling Naruto with him, Sasuke knelt and started kisses low on the shivering boy's waistline, lifting the boy's shirt off as his lips reached higher, nipping and marking as they went. It didn't go unnoticed that this was the first time since the operation that Naruto had let him take off his shirt. When he reached the moaning boy's neck, sucking and biting at the tender skin, Sasuke whispered heavily.

"Forever, Naruto. Promise me." Naruto visibly fought the lust, glazed blue eyes sparking, somehow making Sasuke flush with pleasure at the sight, biting the boy's lush lower lip, teasing brushed kisses until frustration took over the blonde and he wrapped one locking arm around the tall boy's waist, the other around his neck, knocking them both to the ground where he pinned the Uchiha between his legs, grinding until Sasuke was sweating and kissing him with breathtaking force.

"Mm…Teme, you swear first."

Sasuke arched, gripping what he could of the small carpet under them as pleasure violated his veins, rushing with stunning heat as Naruto sucked his sweet spot, marking the tender skin of his neck red, hands working the suffering boy's elastic wrapped waistline.

"Y-Yes! Yes, I swear…Nngh…" Naruto stopped and grinned happily from his seat, Sasuke rolled his eyes, embarrassed despite himself. Pushing up from the ground, the Uchiha vowed revenge. After all, revenge was what he was best at.

The raven leered lustily, Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as Sasuke pulled the boy's face to his for another heart-rending kiss, weaving lips and twining tongues, the other pale hand working to get his blonde to sit on the very edge of the stark white bed, lips still bruising together as he pulled at the boy's pants. Sasuke ran the tip of a hot tongue just under Naruto's jaw to nip at the boy's ear, satisfied at the moans that erupted.

"Your turn, dobe."

It's work done and the thin striped pajama pants and boxers around the blonde's ankles, the pale hand pushed at the small boy's thigh, Naruto obligingly spreading his legs as Sasuke shivered, swelling in anticipation. One ivory finger brushed the boy's crimson flushed length as Sasuke swept his lips across the blonde's collarbone.

"Ah! I promise, I promise!" Sasuke smirked. Ah, the sweet sound of victory in ecstasy. With one last lingering kiss, the raven brushed a tongue against the quivering flush, hearing the distant pleasure cries with a less than modest approval.

Yes, yes, he was good. Tan fingers wound in his hair, gripping him like a handle on the mindless desire as he engulfed the boy, tongue working inexpertly but, at the moans and hardening cock, effectively.

Pale hands seized Naruto's thighs as he worked, his own handle for the pleasure that rapt his body, leaving him harder and itching in his sweatpants as they grew unbearably tight.

"S-Sasuke..." The Uchiha didn't look up as Naruto shook with intensifying ardency, writhing under his stretched lips' hold. "Sasuke, let go, I'm-"

With barely a grimace, Sasuke swallowed the shot and let go, rising from his knees to spread kisses up his panting boy's stomach, following every faint Kyuubi-healed scar, nuzzling the healed cuts.

Black eyes glinted lustily in the dim light, his chest still felt tight, if not as much as before; it still hurt. He pressed their lips together once more, showing his fervency with every gasp, Naruto responding to his scalding touches, pulling off Sasuke's pants, his boxers left thrown on the floor as they fell back into the bed, freed hands groping covetously.

Sasuke nipped at the boy's lip and jaw as the blonde wrapped his arms around a strong alabaster neck, legs clutching high around the tall boy's slim waist. Fingers still wet with a mixture of body heat Sasuke kissed his blonde passionately as he stretched him out, enjoying the fire and the boy's features contorting uncomfortably under him.

Slipping them out carefully, the tall Uchiha bit back a moan as he slid into the engulfing, sanity-consuming heat, fire ripping through his veins leaking reason out his openings to reveal something primal.

The blonde writhed, clawing his back in pain and groaning in pleasure even with Sasuke's attempts to be gentle as he dove deeper inside the boy. Again and again he plunged, black eyes consumed with instinctual desire, a warm hand caressing his beautiful blonde's cheek as blue eyes reflected their hunger back and warm lips captured red ones in a crushing kiss.

One tan hand clutched the sheets, the other gripping another ivory one, gasping as multicolored spots exploded into a white lightning and warmth filled the tall boy's veins. They didn't even go under the covers, content to fall asleep more than warm in their tangle.

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Naruto rubbed his face, the stream still eating at the edges of the mirror as he watched his flushed features reconstitute into a familiar form in the glass. He wouldn't be the same again, even if he looked the same, other than the purpling bags under his eyes. Big blue eyes behind thick, long lashes, a flop of still dripping blonde hair, line-thin scars like whiskers across his cheeks. He could still feel the wretched moments of crushing regret, the most and only real regret he'd ever felt in his life after waking up cold in the hospital.

Sasuke had been sitting next to him looking like he'd just been through hell and back. It had hurt to look at him; in some silent, occasional moments, it still did. They would both never be the same; Naruto could still feel the dull warmth that nipped at his fingers from inside.

Pressing damp fingers against his dripping stomach, Naruto bit back the ever-present ache at its slight chill. But he could learn to live with it. He could still try to smile, a seemingly impossible feat made exceptionally easier by the raven-haired boy still asleep in the bed.

As long as they were together, Naruto looked at the thin black rubber promise wrapping his finger, as long as they were together, they could get through it and keep living. He could smile for real now with that promise, the warmth keeping him company in memories, Sasuke there in present and with that band, in the future.

He smiled, watching sharp white teeth be revealed by full, marked and bruised lips.

Damn asshole, like this was in any way inconspicuous. Huffing, the boy threw the towel over his head and walked back into the connected bedroom where a still sleeping Uchiha looked peaceful.

Naruto held the damp cloth loosely in one hand as he bent to kiss the boy's cheek, surprised when his lips met something substantially softer. He pulled back, fingers covering his mouth with narrowed eyes.

"Teme, you were only pretending to be asleep!"

"Obviously, dumbass."

Naruto stuck out his tongue; cheeks pinking the slightest bit as Sasuke noticeably took him in, black eyes devouring his thin white tank-top and low-riding jeans that showed a full inch of patterned boxers, tied up by a useless black belt. Casual dress for a mission-less day.

"'The hell are you looking at, asshole?"

"You."

Naruto reddened, socking the boy in the shoulder before slumping next to him onto his back, one hand habitually resting on his stomach.

"Closet pervert."

"Yes, yes I am."

"That was re-remorse-rhetorical!"

"Impressive, dobe, have you been reading?"

"No, I'm just naturally smart like that."

"Of course you are."

Another hard punch left Sasuke with a slight grimace, meaning the dead-arm had the desired effect and Sasuke's arm was now all unpleasantly tingly and numb.

Naruto thumbed the band around his finger, suddenly morbidly curious. Was Sasuke wearing his? He couldn't remember what it looked like on him. He wanted to see it more than anything. Puffing scarred cheeks, Naruto tried thinking of a way to find out inconspicuously. And a genius idea popped up. The boy rolled on top of his black haired lover, whom he'd forgotten was still conveniently naked under the covers.

"Ne, Sasuke…?"

"What?"

The blonde boy craned his neck to inspect the hand, trying unsuccessfully to be subtle. The raven caught on and held up his hand in front of both their faces, a stark black band around a thin alabaster finger. Yes, he was still wearing it. Naruto flushed at his own stupidity, rolling off the bed and hopping up in one quick movement, then with a wave of dizziness and blackness eating at the edges of his vision, stumbling to grasp the bedpost.

"Hey- what was that, Naruto?" masked concern rang in the tall boy's voice, making Naruto ashamedly gleeful.

But his heart was beating quickly too.

"What? No, I just got up too fast." It was nothing. He was fine.

"Hn, dobe..."

Naruto shrugged the boy off along with any momentary fears, slouching into the kitchen to rummage up something, anything. He was _starving_. Naruto ripped open the huge, expensive fridge. A half-open can of beer and some moldy cheese sat, too green to even be called cheese anymore. Naruto sniffed at the beer; it was long flat. Gross.

The hyper blonde reached for the cabinets, hoping for a last, and probably only, surviving ramen hiding in one of the dark corners or something, instead coming across a nameless bottle of clear fluid and a half-eaten, rock-hard cookie. Naruto smelled it, bringing blue eyes close to inspect its crumbing edges. It seemed pretty edible still... the blonde tried biting into it, coming up with aching teeth and a still relatively whole cookie. It'd been petrified.

Naruto groaned, cleaning his tongue with tap water; so much for breakfast, or any kind of food for that matter. Naruto checked his froggy, then clicked it closed with a decisive, depressingly hollow snap. Nothing. Damn, he really needed to take some more missions.

Instead, the boy ended up laying flat on his back in the center of the living room, listening to the chorus of rumbles in his stomach and trying to discern some sort of melody, trying not to think of anything at all.

Something wet dripped to his face, running in a little river down his cheek as the boy cracked open pale lashes to reveal a world of black, less than a few inches from his face. Endless black pupils framed by thick, long black lashes, black hair that swooped in from above, cutting sharply into the creamy skin, lavender bags coloring around the glinting ink eyes.

Sharp white teeth were revealed behind pink lips as Naruto grinned.

"Sasuke, what're you doing?"

Black eyes pulled away as the boy got up, Naruto watched as Sasuke wandered into the kitchen, eyes focusing on the slight red welts on the boy's back, the trademark crimson stains of hickeys all over the boy's bare chest. He grinned wider, letting his head back to the floor with a thump, staring blissfully at the pure white ceiling.

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~.Two Months Later. ~

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_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

"What is it, Naruto?"

It'd been bugging him for a little over a month now.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

It couldn't be. He bit back a groan and frustrated, confused tears.

"Naruto, can you hear me?"

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Burn._

It hurt… It hurt, and it just, it just- Naruto wretched again, the smell making him nauseous, the sight making him sick, the feeling of sweat that clung to his skin. Everything seemed closer.

"Open the door!"

_Thump. Burn. Flicker. Fire. _

_**Heat.**_

No. No, no, no, no, no! Shit, shit, shit!

"Open it or I'm opening it!"

Tan fingers clutched the ceramic like a life-line. It was the only thing keeping him here and from floating away. Acid burned his throat and he wretched again, leaning weakly against the wall.

Not again. Never again. It couldn't be-

Something cracked in the doorway and Naruto scrambled to flush the toilet; the frame swung wide. Too late. A shocked raven-haired boy stood frozen, analytic black eyes taking in the scene in a moment.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Burn._

"Naruto-"

Blue eyes filled, barely stopping from brimming over. This wasn't happening, no, this _couldn't_ be happening. Naruto fearfully glanced at Sasuke, the sight making him feel sicker than ever. The Uchiha's eyes were wide and horrified, knuckles white from gripping the door frame; his sharp white teeth were clenched, jaw locked; features stunned and angry.

He looked away, back into the dark depths of the large, fine Uchiha bathroom.

His mouth tasted like bile.

* * *

**(AN) reviewers, your wish is granted! lol.**

**wow, so it's like 3am right now. Haha I'm not even tired. probably the cause of my weirdness right now, hope ya don't mind.**

**Okay, so thank you soo much for all your love! Speaking of love, i recently got a question if this story had too much more to it, and i'm glad the subject was brought up. (thanks to the person) This isn't even the halfway point for what i have planned for this story, so this little conflict is actually just the opener lol, i just finished my loose outline and i'm estimating somewhere around 18 chapters total. so...yeah.**

**Give me more love please! (yeah, yeah, i know, i'm becoming a glutton for reviews heheh... feed my need!.) My goal is 45 reviews!**

**Incredible Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	7. 7Of Firm Stances and True Smiles

wah, you guys are so great i just couldn't wait any longer! I got to my goal in the very first day, and past it in the second! After i read your reviews i was so happy i started writing like crazy and now i'm ahead of myself again! lol Your so great!

**7**Of Firm Stances and True Smiles

* * *

Naruto didn't move. He wouldn't. Not again, never again, not for the world. Sasuke would have to see that one way or another. Blue eyes stared, unrelenting, rebellious, frustrated, angry, and sad, into black. There was no way in _any_ of the many torturous, darkest corners of the fieriest hell.

"No."

Sasuke clenched his fist, teeth grating unpleasantly. He could pull all the showy effects of anger all he wanted, he could bitch and moan, fight and yell, hiss and scowl. Whatever. Naruto stood firm, uncharacteristically serious.

"Yes. Naruto-"

"No!" Naruto almost screamed, still barely standing, leaning heavily back against the sink. One hand reached up to wipe his mouth from the previous vomit that stained his throat, his lips, it coated his teeth, he could feel more bubbling up as he panted.

"Fuck no; never again, I don't care if this _kills_ me." Stormy indigo eyes glinted dangerously, blonde bangs damp with sweat. It was his; he wouldn't kill it, not this time. He wouldn't have more regrets in this world. He wanted it. He wanted it more than anything in the world; he wanted it as much as he wanted Sasuke.

"Goddamn it, Naruto! What about your dream, what about your village?" Sasuke was yelling for the first time, since, well, Naruto could hardly remember. But that wasn't what this was about. Sasuke could care less about the village; he supposedly didn't care about anything except revenge, himself, and, well, Naruto. So this wasn't really why he wanted it gone.

Last time had hurt Sasuke too.

"Who says I can't still be Hokage? Don't limit me, damn it. I can do whatever the fuck I want!"

Naruto tried swallowing the rising gag that choked him, grimacing before turning and vomiting again. What had induced this? Why was the heat burning so badly, thrashing inside him like this? One hand clutched the cloth over his stomach as he turned to face his lover. Sasuke stood with one hand slightly outstretched, as if to help him, before stiffening and hardening his features.

"What about me?"

Naruto stiffened. Ah, so the real reason comes out. Sasuke didn't even have the balls look at him.

"Don't be selfish! You know I love you but-"

"But what, just not that much?"

"Don't turn it around, damnnit!" Naruto shouted so loud the foundations of the new house creaked. That was so unfair, trying to make him choose. It was fucking cowardly, and that wasn't like Sasuke.

"This is my choice, too."

Naruto spat remaining bile; it was mixed with a hint of blood. The boy winced as the heat flared violently again, it felt like it was shredding his insides. Was it angry as he was at Sasuke? Or, was it angry that they were fighting? Either way, it hurt like a bitch.

"No, Sasuke. It wasn't your choice the moment you didn't want it. I- I'm not asking for your help in this. You made your choice; it's not your problem anymore."

Gathering his strength, Naruto pushed up from the sink, shoving past Sasuke to stagger down the stairs. He would go home. He would go home, brush his teeth, and go to sleep. He was so tired.

"Naruto, where-" An ivory hand gripped his wrist, the blonde shook it off forcefully. This was his final decision, damnnit, and nothing, _nothing_ would change that.

"Fuck you, leave me alone. I'm going home."

Another hand reached out, trying to help. That wasn't the kind of help he needed. Sasuke was so selfish; he just couldn't possibly imagine anyone being in pain other than himself. What about Naruto? He was the one who had to carry a fucking _baby_ around, have his body all screwed up, then take care of it for the rest of his life.

Sasuke wasn't the one who had to watch the lights dim, a demon screaming in his conscious, while things he, admittedly, things he _loved_ were torn from inside him! He didn't have to wake up in pain the next morning, then every morning after that!

Naruto shrugged off the hand just as forcefully as the first; gritting his teeth against the pain and effort it took to walk. He wouldn't falter. Not once.

"Damn it, Naruto, will you fucking listen for once?!"

The blonde whirled, livid. "No. No matter what you say, I'm not 'listening' _again_."

The small boy shoved back his guilt when Sasuke visibly flinched a little, delicate pale features shocked and heartrending.

"That time, I-"

"I know. But this is different, and don't you dare ask me to do that again. If you really loved me," Naruto held up his hand and the thin, now slightly worn black band "you would _know_ not to even ask."

"But I _am_ asking, and I do l-, I do love you!" Sasuke was just barely starting to sound desperate, tongue stumbling to get the word 'love' out. Was it really so hard for him to say out loud?

"Fuck that!" Naruto growled. If he really loved him, he wouldn't have even asked. How could he, after it'd already happened once? Did he really not care as much as Naruto had once thought? This, this heat, the living fire inside him, it was alive; it was alive and it was both of theirs equally. How could Sasuke possibly want to kill that _again_?

But he had promised. He had promised to always be there when Naruto woke up. He had promised to love him through anything, he had promised to be there, to stay and support him. They had both promised. Suddenly watery azure eyes looked to the ground. Sasuke was going to break his promise, then? Again? Naruto locked his jaw. No, he wouldn't let him do that. With slightly trembling fingers, Naruto pulled. It had stayed in the same spot for two months; now, with stormy, watery blue eyes brimming, the black rubber ring rested in one pale hand.

"Give it back when you decide to keep your promise; if you do."

Not trusting himself to look at the rigid Sasuke, Naruto practically ran out the door and into the dying sun. It was a few seconds later before he heard the first piercing crashes of breaking glass, wood, anything Sasuke could get his hands on; it was a few seconds after that that he heard the mindless, enraged curses. He went home, head down to hide his unmanly, degrading tears. He would keep it no matter what, because it was from both of them, together, and that would last as the best promise.

And although it had only been a month, he indescribably, unlimitedly loved it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

Steam swirled in patterns through the air; he didn't really notice, head pressed hard against the tiles, trying to get at least a trickle of coolness. The air was so thick. Naruto sighed, not bothering to scrub himself or even move. He had just needed some steam to try and bring down the swelling of his face and decided a bath was also sorely necessary.

It'd been two days; two days of hard training, little food, and less sleep. Any food he tried to keep down would come right back up and out; every time he slept it felt painfully lonely. Well, at least he was never cold anymore; it seemed his body temperature had risen again. Just like last time. But he would get through this, alone or otherwise. Sasuke had an enormous pride; he might never get over their fight.

Naruto smiled a little; that's what he got for choosing an Uchiha of all clans. Stepping out of the shower, the blonde shivered and wrapped himself in a comforting towel, dressing into sweats quickly and heading off to lie on his back in his tiny bed. Tan fingers rested on his flat, bare stomach, feeling the burning heat. It had cooled down a lot in the past few days, but it still hurt. Could the…child still be angry? The boy sighed into the pure white ceiling, pocked and molded. Fingers resting on his bare stomach, blue eyes closed behind thick lashes, habitually reaching his thumb to rub the band around his finger. It was gone. Oh, yeah.

Something cracked at his window, the blonde ignored it. Again, a rhythmic pecking broke his peace. A blonde eyebrow twitched, but he kept ignoring it. After what seemed like the fifth time, azure eyes flicked open, irritated. Naruto sat up, only to find a huge, red-eyed bird pecking at his window. It looked at him with humanly intelligent eyes; Naruto shivered. Reaching for the window, the raven didn't move, just kept staring at him through those perceptive eyes. Naruto knocked on the window, hoping to scare the stupid bird away; instead it just adjusted itself and kept pecking.

Frustrated, the blonde banged harder, looking out the window, past the bird to a little boy standing far below. He had shoulder-length black hair and deep eyes, a wide childish smile. The boy waved, still grinning; Naruto was about to open the window to see what he wanted when someone knocked on his door. His heart jumped into his throat, settling there painfully.

He would not cry this time, no matter how much it hurt; oh, that was if the person at the door was Sasuke, which he totally didn't care if it was or not. Naruto brushed a tan hand through his hair, trying to force it to stop trembling. Pulling up his very loose sweatpants back up to his waistline, Naruto took a deep breath and went to the door.

Instantly he was attacked; long, inhumanly strong alabaster arms wrapped around him, gripping the air from his lungs in a giant bear hug.

Naruto grinned in relief where he knew Sasuke couldn't see him. He didn't let go. After a full minute, Naruto pushed at the raven a little, the tall boy didn't give an inch.

"Teme, lemme go!"

The only answer came from Sasuke nuzzling further into his neck; the blonde hid a chuckle, anymore and he could swear Sasuke would start purring. But, the small boy sighed; there was still an issue to be resolved. Serious, he forced the raven off with little effort, despite the boy tightening his hold.

"Well?"

Dark eyes stared at him, delicate ivory features impassive. Naruto bit his lip, feeling his heart flutter nervously. He was going to have to get used to this stare eventually. The blonde steeled himself; no matter what the answer, he was going to stand behind his decision. This was just a matter of whether Sasuke was going to be there too, standing behind him.

Instead of answering, which Naruto would have much preferred, the Uchiha grabbed his wrist, pulling him to sit on the couch while Sasuke sat on the coffee table across from him, forehead resting on his intertwined fingers.

"If it ever comes to a decision between lives, if there's a choice between saving you or the…child, we will always choose you."

Naruto though a moment. Well, you have to give a little to get a little, and he really, really wanted Sasuke to be there with him. It would be next to impossible by himself. But it would still be possible.

"Fine."

The dark-haired boy nodded, still not looking at him.

"If your life is ever put in real danger because of it, it's gone."

"No."

The answer was instantaneous, blue eyes hardening into chips of ice. Sasuke looked about to rebuke him when Naruto cut him off.

"No; if it's one hundred-percent sure that I will die if the baby lives, fine, but otherwise, no way."

Black eyes glared at him, the infamous Uchiha poison-aura prickling his skin, but Naruto didn't budge or look away. Not on this subject. After a second Sasuke clenched his teeth in frustration, Naruto saw the sinews of his pale jaw ripple under the pure cream skin as he locked it, suddenly finding himself with the indescribable, weird urge to kiss it. He wanted to kiss Sasuke's jaw.

Naruto bit his lip, forcing himself to look away. This was getting stranger every day.

Sigh. "Fine, whatever." Sasuke closed dark eyes, falling to his knees to wrap thin arms around Naruto's waist and press his face against the boy's suddenly, for the first time in two days, placid stomach. Naruto found himself unwinding, relaxing for the first time since their fight as Sasuke reached up to kiss his lips, then his jaw, his neck, nestling his face in the crook between shoulder and neck. Tan fingers traveled to wrap arms around the tall raven's large, warm form; Naruto smiled.

"But we're going to see Tsunade just as soon as I'm done with you."

The smile turned nervous as a greedy leer curved Sasuke's lips, just before he crushed their lips together.

---------------------------------------------------------------X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

Sasuke found himself unsure on how to react.

"What?" Tsunade sighed and rubbed her face, amber eyes looking utterly exhausted; but for being so tired she somehow mustered the energy to glare death in the raven's direction.

Naruto looked down; Sasuke couldn't be bothered to be embarrassed as the woman glowered at him.

Huge blue eyes shifted from the floor to the woman. "I-I think that I'm, um…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"He's pregnant again." The raven ignored the choking sounds coming from the blonde next to him, focusing on Tsunade's face, which was turning an eerie purplish shade.

"Excuse me?"

Naruto turned red as a tomato as he tried not to fidget, "Uh, y-yeah."

Silence dominated the room for more than a moment. Sasuke fought the urge to just walk out and go on with his life without the old hag messing with things, but the Hokage began to emit such evil waves it was becoming hard to ignore. Black eyes looked forward just in time to see a small white fist collide with his face. He hadn't seen the woman move.

"T-T-Tsunade-baa-san! What the hell are you-" Naruto stuttered, blue eyes huge as the raven lifted himself off the floor, wiping the blood that had leaked from his split lip.

"You'll learn some respect, Uchiha." The woman turned to stalk back to her chair, setting in it with a deep breath. "So you're sure, Naruto?"

Sasuke could kill her. He could kill her, but he wouldn't, and the only, the only reason was because Naruto would need her medical expertise later on. But otherwise, she would be dead. The raven was rippling with the most poisonous aura, one that singed the air until Naruto broke the silence and, instead of doing what most people would do in the presence of the demonic waves, moved a little closer.

"Yeah. Everything is the same as it was before, w-with the heat and the mix inside me and um….all."

He was nervous. He had put on such a brave face in front of Sasuke, but the nervousness had poked through. The tall boy reached the last few inches to grab the blonde's fingers. He had promised, hadn't he? Sasuke smirked back at the anxious blue eyes that turned to him; Naruto's palm was sweating.

Cooled amber eyes turned to him, not glaring but professional now. He hated women.

"Is this true, Sasuke?" He nodded, not bothering to speak and not stupid enough to try and be petty.

"The morning sickness started a few days ago; that's when I found out."

The woman turned to Naruto, face cold and expressionless as possible, hiding all but a slight glimmer of her anger. Sasuke had the feeling she had wanted to do a lot more than just punch him.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

Naruto spoke instantly and strongly, his voice not wavering an inch.

"We want to keep it." Tsunade nodded, not even looking to Sasuke for his opinion. The Uchiha rolled his eyes.

"Well then. I'll make something up for you; you're going to have to take special pills to supply what nutrients and some hormones the fetus needs, which, as a boy, you are incapable and naturally unsuited to provide. Also, the last time," The woman's gaze didn't waver as Naruto stiffened a bit, unnoticeable to all eyes but Sasuke's.

"They were underdeveloped for their age, I assume that the cause is your being incapable of providing the same conditions as a woman, and also I noticed…abnormalities on them. They were deformations caused by the excess of Kyuubi's chakra; they were growing…fox ears."

Sasuke could hear Naruto's nervous swallow, could feel the boy's palm begin to sweat increasingly; he gripped it harder.

"To prevent this from happening again, I will also include in your medications a pill to increase your own chakra, and you will need to do special exercises every day, infusing more of your own chakra into the sac." The woman hesitated a moment, almost grimacing as she finished. "And I recommend Sasuke do the same."

Naruto was already nodding by the time she finished, a grin already under construction. Sasuke 'tch-ed' but nodded once. Anything that made Naruto this happy could do the same for him, right?

"Come back in a week." The woman turned her chair back to face the windows, ones that showed a huge view of the entire, almost completely reconstructed village. With a glance back at Sasuke, Naruto led them back out the door and into the busy midday Konoha streets, where he noticed a little olive-skinned boy sitting on a park bench, alone, with a huge raven cawing on his shoulder. Sasuke ignored him and his grin, following Naruto with a worsening headache.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

Tsunade dug in her desk for her emergency stash. She needed it so badly; where was Jarayia when she needed to get smashed more than ever? Dead. He was dead. Finally red painted fingernails brushed something cold and she grasped her stashed sake. Well, it wasn't really sake, more like moonshine.

The strongest stuff the Hokage could get her hands on; and that was saying something.

With barely a pause the woman gulped the entire contents of the medium-sized bottle, getting more and more frustrated as she waited for the bliss of drunkenness. Her baby. No, not her baby, but the closest thing she would ever have to a _son_, pregnant _again,_ just after having an abortion; and the sire was the goddamned Uchiha. Both times, too. What a little smart-ass, horney, sadistic bastard. The woman smiled, feeling the heat rush to her face in a familiar inebriated flush, loving as the enormous stress fluttered away on a foul smelling, fermented breeze.

It felt great to punch him; although she couldn't make it a habit, she was supposed to be the adult, mature one. Pssht. Like hell. Looking for one last drop, the one that would make her entire thought process go away, the woman licked her lips. Damn Shizune, taking away all her booze. A woman in power needed a way to relax, and what better way than a nice, refreshing alcoholic beverage?

Slowly running a tongue over the inside of the top, Tsunade tried thinking of the positives. At least this time they were prepared and knew what the hell was going on, at least this time Sasuke was trying to grow out his tiny little balls enough to cower in Naruto's shadow instead of completely running away; at least they decided to keep it, together. But as the last few remnants of the burning liquid disappeared, the negatives appeared.

How the hell were they planning on taking care of it? They weren't even legal yet! What kind of a toll would this place on an already shaky (at times) relationship? The old woman gave up; dropping the bottle back into its hiding place, knowing her source would have it filled again by morning. How would this affect Naruto? It was a serious risk to the boy's life; men simply were not created to bear children. The surgery to get it out might be complicated, the research needed for it extensive.

The woman rested her head on her desk, closing her eyes to the whole damned world.

What would the council say about this? Tsunade opened her eyes before the horrific images even had a chance to form. No, she wouldn't let them get him. They couldn't. Not Naruto. Not her boy. She smiled a little at the thought of Naruto's face. Everyone had been acting as if this was a horrible thing, but that smile on his face; it was the first time since before the surgery that she had seen him so happy. He was glowing. And that was enough for her.

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**(AN) heheh, i updated early! Thanks soooo much for acutally exceeding my last goal of 45 reviews by a whopping six extra. Please keep reading and loving me!**

**btw. ****i'm putting a suprise pairing in the next chapter! So who's got an idea what it is?**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	8. 8Of Guts and Glorious Secrets

Hello again. I'm going to start trying to cut back on my (an)'s, 'cause i know their waay too long. lol.

enjoy.

**8**Of Guts and Glorious Secrets

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"Naruto," the angry Uchiha refrained from holding his nose. "What the hell are you making this time?" This was the third time, and each concoction ended the same. It was one of the only mornings the blonde hadn't woken up with a mouth full of vomit, so why ruin it now?

"But I want it! It's really good, Sasuke, you just have to try it! Give my creation a chance!" Huge blue eyes turned to face him; pleading adorably for him to not throw away the newly discovered poison he called a shake. But the tall boy wouldn't be fooled, not this time. He wouldn't fall for the same antics twice. Sasuke grimaced at the memory of the last time Naruto had given in to one of his weird-ass cravings.

"Naruto, throw it away, that isn't edible. You're going to end up throwing up again, and this time I won't be so nice."

Defiance twisted the boy's features and he stuck out his tongue before taking another big gulp, coming up with a satisfied grin.

"Who needs you anyway! It's good, I promise, I won't throw up! But you have to try it. It's super awesome because it's like, a meal of everything you could possibly want but really fast! It's genius, now we won't be late for our mission! Come on, let's go!" Naruto took another huge gulp before heading to the door. Sasuke counted down, going into the kitchen, holding his breath past the smell of many things that shouldn't ever be mixed to get a clean glass and fill it with water, then he leant against the counter, waiting, hearing the disgusting slurping noises that came from Naruto chugging his concoction.

"Sasuke," The boy growled "I'm blaming you if we're late, so you better get your butt out here!"

The Uchiha rolled his eyes, still waiting, perspiring glass in one hand. Another big gulp, then choking sounds halfway through- followed by a crash and running feet. The raven got up; about damn time. Wandering into the bathroom, Sasuke got there just in time to hold blonde locks back as the boy wretched his creation into the ceramic. Sasuke crinkled his nose at the foul smell.

"I told you, dumbass, it's not possible to make a ramen-peach-ice-cream-hot-sauce shake. It's just…disgusting." Another groan under him and Sasuke felt pity eat at him despite his promise to be mean. A heavy weight rested back against his legs, wiping at his mouth with the towel provided before grinning tiredly.

"But hell, teme, it was really good while it lasted. You should try it sometime, might loosen you up, tight-ass."

"Hn." Sasuke rolled his eyes, waiting by the door as Naruto brushed his teeth and changed. They were really going through this; he already had a biting headache. Apparently, Naruto was only three months along, and, being a guy, the pregnancy could last up to eleven months because he lacked valuable nutrients and such. (Kyuubi had long ago, in the first…pregnancy, accounted for the lack of room by forcing a growth-spurt on the blonde.)

That was a big reason Tsunade had prepared pills for Naruto to take every day, that's why they both did exercises everyday to infuse the child with their chakra. It would be unhealthy and would lower chances of survival for both if they stayed inside Naruto longer than nine months.

"Naruto, weren't you just saying that we were going to be late?" Sasuke sighed, how would he live through this for six more months if he was already so frustrated?

"Wait! I gotta pee!" The raven held an aching head in his hands. After a few minutes, Naruto's voice came from the bathroom, the water running to wash his hands.

"So, who else is on this mission again?"

"Sakura." The water stopped.

"Is that it?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Okay." Naruto walked down the hall, tan features happy, but apprehensive. Sasuke decided not to dwell, shuffling the boy's hair and closing the door behind them.

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He'd felt it. He was sure that was what it was. Naruto grinned, stupidly happy; he shouldn't be happy about this, damn it! He should be really sad and freaking out! It was an already big responsibility that just multiplied! But…the secret smile just refused to go away in spite of his situation, the way the mission had gone with Sakura ignoring him and the vomit escapades this morning. He'd slipped, almost falling in it when some spilled over. He'd been too embarrassed to say anything. But he was still so happy with the news.

Sasuke wouldn't be so happy. No, he was just angry with the entire situation, how could he possibly be happy to know his 'problem' just got a whole lot worse? Two times worse, to be exact.

Triplets!

Naruto rubbed his stomach, checking the number again. Yep, triplets all right. He'd discovered them earlier, when he used chakra during the mission, drawing his and Kyuubi's mixed chakra, he'd noticed the three barely separate tiny forms. Well, not really forms but…cells? The boy gave an inner shrug. Whatever they were, there were three to become three beautiful little kids. This would be his own beautiful little secret. Naruto grinned into the cup ramen he was holding, just as something knocked him in the head.

"Naruto, don't lose focus; we aren't safe yet. Stay on guard." Naruto nodded once, feeling a little stupid twinge that Sasuke had been so cold. Damn hormone pills, he didn't even know why he had to take them; he hated being such a girl all the time. Finishing his cup, the boy sighed in contentment; nothing better than extra, _extra_ spicy ramen to satisfy those annoying cravings.

"Sakura, please check the perimeter again." The Uchiha, after only eight months back, had become a jounin. Sasuke's orders were always curt and to the point, but, Naruto huffed, why the hell did _Sakura_ get a 'please'?! Something unfamiliar bubbled up to settle painfully under his heart, making it hard to breathe, jabbing at him again and again. What was this feeling? It was almost…acidic.

Naruto took another deep breath, still feeling like he wasn't getting enough oxygen, irritated. The constant little acts of favoritism and cold shoulder from Sakura were really eating at his nerves; now this. The blonde got up slowly, he had to pee _again_. Signaling to Sasuke, all he received was a sharp nod; the sharp pains grew more intense, never ceasing. Walking into the woods a little ways away from camp, still irritated, something tickled in the wind a little ways away.

It was paper; a paper bomb.

Shit, an ambush! Naruto leapt back to be helped along by a huge force that hurtled him farther, only to crash into the ground before they were on him. There were five altogether, easy. But as he swerved to avoid attacks, a surprise nin shot into his peripheral vision, just in time to be caught and thrown backwards into a massive tree by a fisted cream hand.

"Sakura!" The boy whirled to send the last attacker flying. If this is how it was a ways away from camp, then what about-

"Where's Sasuke?"

Sakura shook her head. "He followed a couple enemies who ran. I haven't seen him since."

"Then…" Naruto looked down, not really sure what to do. He wanted to look for Sasuke, but-

"We can't look for him now; he can take care of himself, he'll come back when he can."

-but he needed to talk to Sakura, and this was a perfect time to do just that. Sorry, Sasuke. He would just have to tough it out.

"Eh? Why can't we-" Sakura started turning away, Naruto caught her arm gently.

"Sakura…" Naruto felt his face heat slightly, unused to feeling awkward "Why are you avoiding me?"

The girl froze; so he hit the nail on the head, huh?

"W-what are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I-I know you love Sasuke and-"

"Loved. I loved Sasuke." Green eyes turned down, facing the grassy carpet, littered with weeds and wildflowers. "If I'm honest with myself, I guess… I guess I still do, and always will."

Naruto opened his mouth, still unsure of what to say, but was cut off when Sakura turned large, bright eyes up to face him head on.

"But, because you're my friend, one of the best I've ever had, I can- no, I will be happy for you." The girl smiled. "Because I love you too, you know."

Naruto blushed, but smiled coyly, winking. "Well, if you'd said that earlier; maybe we can, uh, go on a date or something-" The girl bashed him in the head, but beamed.

"Why the hell would I want to go on a date with some poor bastard who got knocked up? God only knows the crazy shit you've done."

"Sakura-cha~an!"

They sat for hours, catching up, enjoying the evening sun until an arrogant face appeared from the woods.

"Teme! What took so long?" Naruto grinned where he sat in the dappled forest sunset light, talking to Sakura. Sasuke just glared.

"Hn." Naruto pouted at his coldness, but then spied the smudges of dirt that covered his clothes and one on his face, resisting the urge to wipe the tall boy's pale cheek clean. Sakura was still pretty raw. But that didn't mean he couldn't still…Naruto threw a heavy towel to '_whump'_ the boy's face… get revenge. He grinned, Sakura giggled, Sasuke glared. Just like old times. Moments like these were the things that just boosted Naruto's naturally opportunistic outlook, fueling his smile.

"So, _captain_, how'd we do?" The slightly sarcastic voice sounded strangely alluring on Naruto, who grinned, oblivious.

"You failed." Sasuke turned with cold features to walk back to the village, not waiting for his former teammates and current lover.

Naruto rippled. What the hell'd crawled up the bastard's asshole this time? He should be the angry one, with being treated so awfully all the time, damn it! The blonde got up, still fuming, to jog after his arrogant jerk.

"I'll see you later, Sakura!"

Catching up to the raven, Naruto gripped the boy's wrist firmly. He was tired of acting like the girl; they'd settle this like men.

"The fuck's your problem, asshole? It was just a training mission!" Sasuke kept walking, dragging Naruto along with him as he refused to let go.

"Sasuke, answer me, damn it!" When he was ignored a second time, the blonde's already severely shortened patience snapped and he used his real strength to stop the Uchiha and whirl him so they were face to face.

"Tell me now; I'm tired of asking already. Don't be a _bitch_." The last word, said with all his overwhelming anger, caused the desired reaction and smoldering black eyes turned up to face him. Something strange suddenly switched and abruptly, inexplicably, Naruto felt hot. Incredibly, fuck-me-now hot; a shudder passed through his veins at the sight of Sasuke's chipped obsidian eyes. Naruto found himself huffing for breath, praying for restraint. What the hell just happened to wanting to punch the cold bastard in the face, then rub some dirt in it to prove how much he really needed some icy-assed Uchiha?

Now… Naruto held back a moan at the heat that rushed through his veins, abusing his nerves. Damn, he wanted to be violated by those eyes. Ah…what the hell is this! Oh- oh, no; Sasuke had been talking! Naruto tuned in, trying to hear everything but feeling…distracted at the waves of pleasure that wracked him from just seeing those delicate alabaster features.

"-need to take this seriously, it may be practice but what if that was real…" Naruto whispered a silent gratitude that his training clothes were so loose; his pants were already feeling a little tight. He couldn't hold out much longer-

"-real, you would've been dead already!" Something lighting fast and super-heated burned Naruto's skin at the words. So, he'd been worried about him, and that was why he'd been so mean? Damn; lusty blue eyes dared another peek, regretting it as more shivers crawled up his spine at the sight. Sharp, fiery black eyes, luscious red lips that curled around perfect white teeth, creamy ivory skin that glistened slightly in the sunlight over bare, broad shoulders. When did Sasuke get so…sexy?

That was it. He couldn't hold it back any longer. Taking the surprised raven's hand, Naruto just about flew back into the village, sprinting towards his apartment because, damn it, he was not having what could be the hottest angry sex he'd ever experience in the middle of the woods.

When he reached the door, Naruto fumbled for the keys, hands shaking with the rushing, boiling blood within him in a deadly mix with anticipation and inexorable pleasure. It was making him clumsy. Trying to get the key into the lock, frustration mounting, he shuffled and the whole ring landed on the floor. Sasuke growled, still angry, and the predatory sound was too much. Throwing his arms around the taller boy's neck, Naruto about tackled him in his rush get to the boy's mouth. They wove, clashed, both pairs of lips red and bruising quickly as Naruto's frustration and desperation became infectious to the still pissed Sasuke.

Damn, if this, Sasuke bit his lip roughly, drawing blood, if this, large ivory hands clutched his sides hard, knocking the breath from his lungs, if _this_ was how Sasuke got angry, Naruto moaned as Sasuke sucked a violent hickey on his neck; he would make sure to make the Uchiha angry much more often.

When they finally got inside, Naruto ended up shoved into the shower, where they proceeded; biting, nipping, burning, frustrating, sucking, pushing, dripping, until they moved on to the tiny table, mewling, gripping, marking, gasping, soaking, the laminate hard-top of the table digging first into the blonde's pleasantly burning stomach, then into his tingling, shivering, crawling spine. Sasuke, finally tired out, collapsed to the floor first, still panting. Naruto wasn't really tired, but the indescribable desire had passed, so he lay down next to him, resting a blonde head on the other boy's chest.

"So…about earlier…what were you yelling about?"

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"Is this really okay?" The little boy sighed to his ever-silent companion. He wanted to go home already, but if he did, his second dad would yell at him. Well, technically, since he was the one who'd picked him up, he was his first dad…but whatever. The raven beside him cawed softly, as if it understood and wanted to go home too, back to their humble little cottage hidden deep in the woods far away. He could take a bath in the waterfall, he could train in their little make-shift field. The boy sighed again, this time in longing.

But it was only for a little longer, daddy said. This was so stupid; he still didn't know what he was doing in this stinky old village anyways except stalking and harassing some pouty teenager and his little monster boyfriend. Well, deep teal eyes squinted with his sheepish little smile. At least the boyfriend seemed nicer.

But…black hair shifted with the breeze from his seat in a bench in some park. But the situation at home was getting dire. He was really afraid for his blind dad, and sad for his other dad. Temperamental as he was, he could tell he was really upset about the whole situation. And it was all that angry teen's fault. His family was about to be torn apart by a political war caused by that damn gloomy, prepubescent asshole.

His parents didn't know he understood everything, that he overheard their usually violent arguments on this subject especially. Kumogakure wanted blood. Uchiha blood. And apparently, it was all because of crimes committed by the stupid jerk Sasuke. Olive skinned fingers brushed over the shiny, blue-black feathers comfortingly; what was an eight-year-old to do?

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Something crashed; something else blew up into a cloud of grey smoke.

"You think I'm fucking stupid, ya damn asshole, hm?!"

A whirl of long blonde hair blew back as another creation blew up in the other's face; or so it seemed until the same passive face, eyes closed, appeared inches away, inhumanly firm grasp holding both the man's wrists, a safe distance away from gnashing palms.

"Of course not. I'm simply asking for you to calm down, there is no need to fight about this." A calm serene deep voice sounded and huge aqua eyes glinted with even more anger.

"Fuck you! I'm angry for a good damn reason and ya know it!" Deidara shouted into the other's still impassive face, knowing his heightened hearing would suffer because of it.

"You already lost the last of yur eyes to this lil' bastard, what more do ya wanna give the selfish brat, un?!" Itachi's thins brows quirked the tiniest bit into an expression that made his stomach flutter, and the raven let go of the blonde's wrists.

"He does not know about that, nor will he ever find out. This is not by his request; it is something I am doing on my own."

"Fine, do whatever the hell ya want, hm! Like I care!" Deidara slammed the wood-frame door open, shaking the rest of the tiny cottage house, storming out. He would go to his favorite spot, where he could think for once. That damn Itachi was an asshole sometimes. No, it was all the time. Blonde hair swirled out around his shoulders as the man reached the peak of the hill, the one that overlooked his spot.

It was a peaceful waterfall, unlike the ones that simply crashed from the heavens like angry storm; this one sloped down light-colored limestone to a tranquil pool below. Deidara stripped to his pants, jumping into the cool water headfirst. He needed to cool down. Why was he even living with that bastard? Surfacing and flipping long bangs from his face, large aqua eyes opened to a peaceful world around him.

Swimming near the bank, the blonde lifted himself to the low branch that overlooked the entire ravine. This, this natural art was where he got inspired for his own creative explosions. This was where he went to think when living with an Uchiha got too much. His new danna wasn't the best, not at all. Certainly much worse than Sasori-danna. Deidara closed his eyes, resting his head back against the dark wood.

Why had he even bothered saving that bastard? He could have saved himself the trouble and beat himself an arrogant little snot, to boot. But he didn't, no, some other driving, burning force had convinced him to feign death to save his worst enemy. Talk about ironic. Creamy fingers played with the ends of his belly-button length hair mindlessly. He'd asked himself the same damn question too many damn times to count already, never once got an answer. Frustrated, the blonde sight of a sparrow flying circles in the pure blue sky and, smiling happily, molded a bit of clay in one slurping palm.

After the beautiful, vicious-looking little creation was formed it took flight, copying the beautiful little sparrow's twirls before landing on its back and exploding to shower deep garnet blood and shining purplish entrails, followed by patterned feathers, back to the earth. A deep voice behind him shocked the man almost out of his seat.

"You're cruel."

Deidara snorted. "Ya scared the livin' shit outta me, un. And _I_ definitely ain't the cruel one."

Itachi sighed, long black lashes still closed to cover his milky black eyes. Deidara was probably the only one who'd seen them. It was pretty horrific; all for some damn moody brat, Itachi suffered his whole life. Now, he was making his adopted 'son' suffer. Now, he was…Deidara dived gracefully back into the water. Now, he was making Deidara suffer, with this stupid, relentless pain in his heart.

No matter how many times Itachi made him feel that way, he was far from stupid, farther from naïve. He knew exactly what the pain was. It started after his first defeat, grew after saving the raven, grew more after that Itachi woke up, that first night and every night spent together after that but especially that first night because that was the only night Itachi had actually reacted adamantly, he'd actually done things himself, of his own accord because, it had seemed, he had wanted to. And then the pain became hellish, beyond unbearable after hearing of the Uchiha's plan.

Deidara knew what it had to be, but like hell he'd ever admit to it or say it out loud; especially since he was sure Itachi didn't feel nearly the same. He'd just been too damn nice to turn him down after that night, and all those that followed. Either that or he'd been too damn horney. Either way, it wasn't near what Deidara wanted. He wanted a danna. Someone to fight with him, someone to protect, someone to protect him if, _if_ he ever needed it.

Itachi wouldn't ever live up to what Sasori had been.

Still under the blue sparkling water, Deidara waited with his thoughts until his head felt light before rushing gasping to break the surface. Huge aqua eyes turned towards the placid black-haired man sitting on the bank with increasing pain. He had to, before _he_ was the one who exploded. He had to do the thing he always did when the pressure in his chest got dangerous like it was now.

Wading the last few steps to the shore, Deidara flipped dripping blonde locks back from his face, running one close-mouthed hand through the wet silk as he reached the other man. Like he was expecting it, an expressionless pale face turned towards him as the blonde kneeled, not flinching even when his soaked arms wrapped around the raven's pale, strong neck, unmoving as Deidara's cold-blue lips crashed into pale pink.

This is what he did when it hurt too much, and Itachi just went along for the goddamned ride. But- bringing his drenched thighs up to wrap tightly, pushed all the way up to the other warm, dry man's thin waist, Deidara moaned into the kiss, suppressing the sensation in his fluttering stomach as Itachi finally responded, holding one gentle hand with a feather-light touch against the blonde's back, the other still hanging limp, tongue barely countering his own hard-working one at last, lips barely moving.

Tch, just to get tiny a response Deidara had ta practically start dry-humping him; damn emotionless Uchiha. Itachi would never be as good as Sasori.

The blonde wrapped his arm tighter around the other man's neck, breaking the kiss momentarily to run one finger across the heavy lines that cut across the young man's beautifully carved face. Still, Itachi really was a work of art, if one that would eternally be a thorn in his side.

Deidara pressed their lips back together, a tiny, unnoticeable smile on his lips as each second they were pressed together, as he was filled to the breaking point by black lashes, reddened lips and crimson-flushed, hardened ivory skin, as he swayed to the beat of their hearts, the pain in his chest subsided long enough to last until next time.

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**(AN) So how many saw that one coming? o-O**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	9. 9Of Their Home Sweet Home

**9**Of Their Home Sweet Home

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"Ow, damn it! Be a little more careful, I'm not a fucking training post!"

Sasuke sighed; this was already wearing on his nerves.

"Naruto, I'm being as careful as humanly possible; Tsunade already said this would hurt, and we've done this many times before." The raven tried going back to focusing the miniscule streams of chakra flowing from his fingertips, smaller than strings, smaller than spider webs, smaller than the very pores- "Ouch, damn it! Concentrate more, teme!"

The Uchiha snapped. "I'm trying to! If you'd shut the hell up for a second I could and it wouldn't hurt so much!"

They still had almost five months left of this. Every day they had to do these exercises. Sasuke cursed Tsunade and the damn hormone pills she was making Naruto take every day. When there was no sudden outburst, when Naruto didn't jump up in outrage at Sasuke's scolding, the raven sighed. He didn't want to look up, because then he would have to deal with the consequences of yelling. He didn't, he wouldn't- black eyes peeked up, immediately regretting it.

Huge blue eyes were widened in shock, filling at first, the blonde turned quickly, blinking rapidly to dispel the invading tears, lips trembling the tiniest bit, sharp teeth coming out to still them, biting down hard. Augh! Sasuke wanted to stab himself; this was ridiculous.

"Look, Naruto-"

The boy got up quickly, knocking Sasuke's fingers from his bare, slightly distended stomach; obviously still fighting the foreign hormones and impending tears.

"It's no big deal. I-I need to go to the bathroom." The blonde practically ran from the room and Sasuke collapsed on the bed, mentally punching himself but completely exhausted. He loved Naruto. He loved Naruto, he loved him, this was nothing, he could handle this because he loved him…the chant repeated again and again in the boy's aching head.

He would have to go after him eventually; the lock on the bathroom had been broken into so many times it was practically useless now. Sasuke sighed heavily again before forcing himself to get up and head to the large Uchiha bathroom; surprised to find it dark.

He was probably hiding then; so it was one of those times, the times Naruto couldn't force back the tears. Searching the large, dark house room by room, the raven's ears perked at slight sniffling sounds from the kitchen. Turning the corner, Sasuke found his lover curled up on a counter top, wiping at his reddened eyes, black pupils dilated hugely in the dark, leaving only clear indigo rings to shine in the moonlight.

Taking a calming breath and pushing back the guilt that gnawed at him, Sasuke crossed the clean, dully glowing slivery expanse to his still sniffing blonde, turning the boy to face him when he got there. Naruto kept whimpering, obviously trying to stop, trying to rid himself of the fat, rolling tears by hiding his face in wiping hands.

"Uhm," Sasuke winced slightly at how Naruto's voice trembled, pity and guilt making his chest feel heavy "S-sorry about this, I-I don't know why," The trembling grew worse "I d-don't know," The boy's voice finally broke under the weight of his sobs, burying a wet scarred face in the crook of Sasuke's neck , thin shoulders and back heaving and shuddering as one hand wrapped to grasp the back of Sasuke's neck, the other clutching his progressively wet t-shirt.

Sasuke placed a gentle hand at the crying boy's waist, the other coming up to pet the blonde's spikes comfortingly. He knew what he had to do to get the crying to stop, even if it meant sacrificing a bit of his pride. Damn Naruto. With a heavy sigh and a silent prayer for patience, Sasuke began.

"No, I'm s-s-" _Damn it, Uchiha, get yourself together_. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I was being…insensitive." Instead of the intended reaction of immediate forgiveness, Naruto started crying harder. What'd he say this time?

The hand clutching his shirt pushed a little, not enough to hurt or to make him stumble but enough to make the raven maybe bruise a bit.

"You're so mean to me all the time!" His shoulder was already soaked, but Sasuke couldn't care less, concentrating on comforting the small blonde. "I mean, I never used to cry before you! Now all of the sudden I'm like a freaking girl!" Instead of pushing him away this time, the hand clasped around his neck pulled him closer, the fingers gripping his shirt clenching tighter. "I'm pregnant like a goddamn girl too! It's all your fault that I'm like this! I can't-"

The sobs made the boy's loud voice quiver; Sasuke closed his eyes, his own hands gripping the boy closer. "I can't stop crying, damn it! Why are you so mean to me! Asshole, this isn't easy for me, you know?!"

"Naruto-" Sasuke didn't know what to say. He was sure he hadn't been any less pleasant than usual; it was those damn hormones.

"No! I- Ugh," the boy pulled away abruptly, a shaky, watery smile forced on his features, still mopping at his face, voice muffled as he wiped. "Sawry, I cwried too much."

Sasuke exhaled, opening the tap a few feet away to warm the water as he searched for a towel. Soaking the small cloth in boiling water and then squeezing out the excess, Sasuke flipped off the tap and turned back to his sniffling blonde, features impatient as he could muster. A tiny smirk graced the raven's pale, delicate features in the moonlight as he tilted Naruto's chin up, wiping swelling, still leaking eyes with the warm towel.

"Yeah, you did; you're a mess." Big blue eyes opened in shock, already filling, but stopped when he saw something soft in Sasuke's expression, closing thick lashes once again to the tender, gentle patting.

"Mm, I guess, huh, Sasuke?"

The raven just kept washing away the salty tears he caused, careful to be extra gentle around the boy's tender, slightly swollen eyes, soothing away the horrible tension lines etched from his sobs, black eyes following the pure white cloth as it brushed over pink lips, over line-thin scars.

"I think you're enjoying this more than I am." Sasuke almost jumped, torn from his previous trance by the soft, husky voice and huge blue eyes that stared through him. Collecting himself, Sasuke leered and threw the now cold towel over the boy's face.

"I don't know what you're talking about, dobe." He turned away, not letting Naruto see the damnable pink that flushed his cheeks as he walked back to his room to lay back on the huge king sized bed, head resting on his hands. He didn't look away from the ceiling as Naruto walked in, tossing the little white towel on the floor and throwing himself on the bed next to Sasuke.

"Damn, Sasuke; this bed is _way_ too big for one person." Sasuke couldn't see the bright grin next to him, but he felt its warm glow.

Sasuke turned to his blonde, expression finally under control.

"Well, that's why you're here, right?" Naruto stuck out his tongue, turning to lie on his back with one hand absently stroking at his belly, a smile still spread wide. It was no longer almost concave, but distended. Wasn't it a bit early to be so visible?

"Naruto, when did Tsunade say it would become obvious?"

The boy thought a moment, then turned to the taller.

"She said like, five or even six months if I wore really loose stuff, I think."

Yes, it was still too early, even for just the slight bump. Sasuke sat up, leaning over the blonde's tan stomach to press his fingertips to the tightening skin. Narrow ebony eyes glinted, searching though his palms for what he wanted. There; the small envelope of blood-red chakra, easy to break through with his searching, spinning, activated sharingan. Behind the thin film of Kyuubi's protective energy lay another wall of his and Naruto's combined chakra; this was what the exercises were for, to make sure not too much of the demon's power got to the child.

Once past the second wall, all he could see with just his concentration was a small blur of energy and cells. But how could this one small pocket cause Naruto's early growth? Sasuke was about to blink and break his focus when something caught his crimson eye. A gap. There was a tiny, almost invisible gap inside the ball; no, now there were two. Three small energies? Then…that meant… Sasuke wanted to punch himself for the third time that night. He didn't even want to think about it. Triplets?!

Sasuke opened his eyes back in the bedroom, forehead and nose pressed against a half-sitting-up-with-surprise Naruto's stomach. The raven sat up slowly, swiveling his head to glare death at Naruto. They were having three damn babies.

"How long have you known about this?" Sasuke's voice was cold.

"Known about what?" Naruto's eyes were cautious.

"Don't play dumb."

Naruto sighed, sitting up slowly. "Less than a month."

"I thought we promised." Sasuke's voice was merciless, dead. Three. What was he supposed to think?

"Yeah, but," Big, irresistible blue eyes turned full-force on Sasuke "but I knew that you'd be mad, so I just…decided to wait a while. But Sasuke" The raven turned glacial eyes on the sunny, for some reason happy looking azure a few feet in front of him. "Sasuke, when I found out, actually, I was really happy! I mean, they call babies bundles of joy, right? Well, that's three times the joy!"

The boy grinned hugely, blindingly and Sasuke felt all anger evaporate from his limbs, leaving him unbearably tired. He rested his face in his hands, millions of thoughts whizzing in his aching head. Naruto's stupid reasoning had him feeling lighter, lighter, and when tan arms wrapped around his shoulders, burying his face in a tan chest, Sasuke couldn't help but feel just the slightest inkling of happiness through the worry and general dread.

"It'll be okay, ne, Sasuke? 'Cause we have each other to lean on. And plus each of us has two arms, so we'll actually have one extra arm!"

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, wrapping his arms around the boy, glad for his stupid form of comfort. One arm would probably the only extra thing they'd have after the _children_ were born. Where was Naruto planning on stashing the other two kids in his tiny apartment? They would have to move to the Uchiha compound… and suddenly the raven's outlook on the entire situation was a whole lot brighter.

"Does Tsunade know about this?"

"Uh…no." Naruto adjusted them both so that he was lying down propped up by soft pillows, Sasuke's head still resting on his chest.

"We'll have to make an appointment soon."

"Mm…" Naruto's soft, raspy voice trailed off and Sasuke didn't have to look up to know the boy was already fast asleep. He smirked, feeling himself drift in and out nestled comfortably on Naruto's chest, one pale hand outstretched on the boy's small, now convex stomach.

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"What?!" Naruto was oblivious of the decibel of his voice, focused on being shocked out of his mind. Why would she do something like this?!

"Quiet down, idiot brat, this is for your own good!" The woman leaned back in her swivel chair, eyeing her drawer with a slightly desperate gleam.

"How is leaving Konoha a good thing?!" Naruto shouted again, voice barely any lower despite being warmed more than once. And why the hell was Sasuke so quiet about the whole thing?

"Because I still have to deal with the council, I must know for a fact that you will be safe for you to come back, because if not both you, Sasuke, and your _children _will be in danger." Naruto grimaced, but stayed silent. He…he wouldn't put his children or Sasuke at risk. No matter what; even if he had to leave home for a long, long time.

"You will have three in your permanent guard other than Sasuke; those including Sakura, the most important member as she will be your doctor and the one delivering the children. Second will be Kiba, who will be in charge of finding the location and locating potential enemies. Hinata will also assist in security, but as a last-resort guard. She will stick to you like glue, do you understand?" Naruto was a bit shocked at the girl being in the 'guard', but as a special member? Tsunade seemed to read his features.

"Her knowledge of the body will be necessary. As well as being a good guard, she will be assisting Sakura, who will be teaching her some medical nin-jutsu so she can assist better if something happens to your primary doctor."

"Ah…okay. But…"

"Don't argue with me. You have two weeks to get packed."

Just two weeks?!

"Also, they are not informed of the situation but Sakura. You will have to break the news to them yourself."

"Eh?!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto huffed, pouting while folding his clothes. Why did he have to leave? And so suddenly, too.

"You can't take all of that, dumbass." Sasuke pointed at the huge pile consuming the entire bed.

"I know, teme! Shut up, I'm not stupid, you're just an asshole. I'm picking out what I want."

"Well, hurry up, 'cause it's getting late."

"This isn't even your house!"

Sasuke leered, leaning closer "So…?"

Naruto made a face and looked down, trying to hide the pink that tinted his cheeks. He was blaming it on the hormones.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X.X.X.X.X

Deidara woke up before his eyes opened; he was so warm. But that always meant one thing; he'd done it again. The blonde man bit back a groan, opening huge aqua eyes to the moonlight, feasting on the sight of the sleeping Uchiha over him, creamy alabaster skin, looking pure white in the slivery light running uninterrupted from peaceful features across a cut jaw, strong neck, flowing seamlessly over broad, although thin, shoulders, chest- He really didn't look so brutal while he slept.

But Deidara knew better; once he woke up, they'd be fighting again; all because the stupid bastard had a suicide wish.

The blonde held him closer in an unguarded instant before letting go and slipping from the bed, grabbing some clothes to bathe in the moonlight, to clean off the layer of sweat and cum. Once back at the small pool, the waterfall glistening above, he could relax. It'd happened again, but…Dei dipped his head back into the cool water, feeling his hair fan out, suspended in the current.

He'd practically raped the damn Uchiha. At least, that's what it always felt like. The most response he ever got was a feather-light touch, one hand only, and the occasional heartrending moment the man kissed him back. Other than that, Deidara did everything, from coaxing him hard to well, _everything_. The only exception to that being the very first time, the first night, right after Itachi'd woken up.

Well, it wasn't like the blonde _liked_ doing 'that' with the damn expressionless bastard, he _needed_ to; else he wougd be the one doin' the exploding. Deidara kicked, breaking the surface to shower slivery droplets back into the glass-like pool. He floated in his privacy, clear eyes hidden behind long blonde lashes.

At least the ache in his chest was gone for the moment; but it was coming back more and more frequently, and that only meant one thing. It meant one horrid, despicable thing'd taken over the man, consuming him from the inside out till it would be too late, impossible to hide.

Love grew like a goddamned pestilence once it got implanted. Deidara dipped again into the water before swimming to the shore, drying off, and heading back before Itachi noticed he'd been gone.

He'd been completely oblivious to the raven-haired man who sat hidden in the shadows, an indescribable expression showing softly behind closed lids. He ran one ivory hand through black bangs, taking a deep breath to calm the whirlwind of emotions that batted at him from the inside, invisible from the outside world. Blindness had in no way affected his honed, top-class Anbu captain senses; the lack of vision was more than made up for in increased hearing, touch, and smell.

Deidara still underestimated him; in more ways than one. It still took every last drop of his endless self-control to stay so motionless during one of the blonde's 'moods', he couldn't help the worry that plagued him every time after they finished, every time it got harder to stay still, every time Deidara left without a word. But he couldn't let himself get closer to the blonde; he was going to die soon, and that would just make it that much harder for them both. If he couldn't refuse one of Deidara's come-ons, it was all he could do to stay still.

Itachi leapt deftly to the forest floor from his perch, where he had been hiding from the blonde's view. But he'd heard every sigh, every frustration. Each one was echoed in the Uchiha's heart, the one he'd thought he'd killed on his last night in Konoha. The raven-haired man headed back to the cottage, where he sat in the kitchen thinking until morning, when Deidara woke up and entered the small space. The Uchiha amused himself listening to the other man's shuffling, tired feet, his silent yawn running his fingers through waist long hair. Pale fingers twitched.

Itachi stayed perfectly still as Deidara sat down across from him. Then the assault began.

"Decided to answer me yet, un?"

Itachi stayed still, sitting with his teacup in hand, listening as anger ate at the blonde.

"Tell me already, ya damn bastard! There's no reason to keep quiet about it, ya hear?!"

Itachi sipped his tea carefully, choosing his words.

"I have already told you everything I can."

"That's bullshit, and we all know it, hm!" Deidara slammed his fists against the rough wood of the table, sending shivers into the paneled flooring. "You're outta your fuckin' mind!"

The man stood up quickly, storming out of the house once again. Itachi sighed, taking his still half-full cup and tossing it out the window, listening to the chorus of explosions as the little creations Deidara had sent into his tea were detonated.

He was still angry then; perhaps it would've been better not to tell him at all. Itachi headed to the little kitchen, grabbing a pan and cutting board, picking out his ingredients carefully, sensitive nose picking out the best combinations of seasonings and ingredients, deft fingers expertly handling the knife to cut and create their meal. Yoh would be returning soon; he should make enough for him, too.

Perhaps Deidara would become more amiable when their 'son' came back. The raven stirred awhile then left the meal cooking as he changed out of his nightclothes into deep-blue pants and standard fishnet nin-undershirt, his necklace over it all, medium-length black hair back in his usual low-ponytail.

Wandering by touch and sound in the creaky old house back to the doorway, Itachi leant against the frame, feeling the rising sun warm his face, letting out a rare sigh. Deidara would be back for breakfast; he still had almost three months before he had to leave anyways. Pale ears twitched and he extended one arm, after a few seconds a weight landed on his forearm and the raven squawked, fluttering its feathers and adjusting its perch. Yoh couldn't be far behind, then.

Whispering his message, Itachi let the bird fly to carry the news to Deidara. Despite appearances and the way he acted, Itachi knew the blonde really cared for their little stray; otherwise the boy would be dead on the streets. Heading back inside as easily as if he still had his eyes, the Uchiha set the table for two, keeping the other plate covered near the fire. And he sat, waiting patiently until he heard gruff pants outside, cawing as the blonde abused his raven and the door slammed open. Itachi sipped at his second tea that morning pleasantly, gesturing for Deidara to sit. They could at least pretend to be getting along.

"When's the lil' brat comin' back?" A creak as the blonde sat back in his chair.

"Soon."

"That ain't a real answer, hm."

Itachi smirked a little, then hearing Deidara's heartbeat speed up at the smile, immediately cleared his features.

"I estimate it will be another few hours." Itachi's fingers twitched again as the man played with the ends of his long hair, then heard the noiseless pout. He held back another tiny smile.

Silence dominated the room for a few minutes as they ate, Itachi listening to the other's constant heartbeat, knowing by his movements that he was tired, that he had a headache, that he didn't want to argue anymore; Deidara was more gentle than he acted. Something pulled hard in his chest.

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Deidara finished the elegant bird with a clear-cut spiral across its back, one that, when activated, stretched out like a snake to encircle the winged sculpture protectively and when told could act offensively too. Hopping deftly onto its back, the blonde ordered it to fly high, then used the other, smaller birds attack himself.

As the first swooped near, it exploded hugely, sending a torrent of wind that threatened to knock the man off his creation; but for the activated snake, now circling it's charge, discharging tiny sparrow-like birds that attached themselves to the attackers, blowing them up instantly.

And training for the day was finished. Clapping from below surprised the blonde into looking down; a huge grin covered his face for a moment before he noticed and killed it swiftly. He didn't need the brat to get any ideas. Landing his giant bird, Deidara felt the little boy's smile before he saw him running over.

"Dad!" The olive boy shouted, tackling him before Deidara could get away. The blonde settled on knocking the boy over the head.

"Shut up! Call me Deidara; I ain't your damn father!" The boy only grinned up at him, hugging him tighter.

"I missed you so much; those people were all so mean to me!" Big teal eyes squinted up to him and the man felt his chest tighten a bit.

"Ya think I'm any nicer, un?! Don't kid yourself, bratlin'! Now get offa me, hm!" Deidara gave a final shove, successfully pushing the boy off, getting back to his feet and dusting himself off, a sour look twisting his features.

"Ya damn little brat, getting' me all dirty. Let's go, that bastard Itachi made ja' some food." The boy grinned again, and after walking a while, the man stopped and turned around.

"Ready, un?" The little boy's face beamed, looking up at him and nodding furiously. Pointing to the large white bird still visible in the distance, Deidara grinned.

"Katsu!" Teal eyes grew huge like saucers as the bird was consumed in a fiery storm that spread like a virus, darkening into varying shades of grey pluming smoke, spreading into the blue backdrop sky. The blonde threw back his hair, grin getting wider. Least someone appreciated his art.

"That was amazing! Do it again, again!" Deidara smacked the boy's dark head for a second time, hard enough to make the boy wince and rub the sore spot.

"I ain't your goddamn entertainment, hm!" The boy sniffed, but kept quiet. Deidara stuck a palm in his pocket, chewing slowly, waiting for the right time. When a little rabbit crossed their path, jumping happily ahead, the man opened his palm, revealing the now complete creation. It was a little bee, four distinct wings wriggling impatiently above an exaggerated stinger.

The boy next to him looked up with wide, happy eyes before the tiny bee took flight, flying in wide, graceful arcs before reaching its ignorant victim. Yoh grinned in amazement when the bee landed and stung its prey, a good ten feet from the blonde and his 'son'; in a split second the rabbit was just a dark, steaming bloodstain. Deidara found himself smiling arrogantly a bit despite himself as the olive-skinned boy clapped and laughed.

"What are you teaching him?" The low voice leaning against the doorway sent shivers trembling into the blonde's chest, his heart picking up its pace before he forced it calm. The boy next to him ran to the now kneeling, waiting open arms as Itachi embraced his adopted stray.

"Nunna your damned business is what, un." Deidara pushed past them both, stalking into the house.

"Is Deidara-daddy still mad at you?" the boy whispered into Itachi's ear; the blonde froze mid-stride.

"I can still hear ya, idiots!"

* * *

**(AN) Okay, so as much as i love this story, I'm starting to lose focus. I haven't been able to write anything good in this one for like, a whole week! idk what's wrong...**

**Well, please please review! I'm sure some feedback will boost my writing like last time...I hope.**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	10. 10Of Seeking and the Sunrise

Thanks to those who are reading and those lovely dears who review almost every time, such as T**hrough Darkness and Light**,** nanichan72** and **Deathangelebz**. There are so many more as well, thank you all so much.

I'll talk on the bottom.

**10**Of Seeking and the Sunrise

* * *

A loud bark sounded in the wide, sunny clearing as the horse-sized dog ran ahead, joyfully snapping at the dancing butterflies. Kiba laughed voraciously when Akamaru got butterfly-powder stuck to his tongue from one of the crushed insects.

Naruto leant in to whisper to the suddenly blushing Hinata walking next to him.

"Hey, how much longer 'till we get there?" He didn't want to say it out loud, but he was really tired already; they'd been traveling for almost six full days already, and he was carrying a load.

"Uhm…" The girl blushed harder, looking at her feet "I think it's only a little farther, Naruto." The blonde sighed, scratching at the back of his head as he walked, accidently bumping into Sasuke.

"Watch where you're going, teme" Naruto grinned, not really irritated but looking for an excuse to talk to the boy. They'd hardly spent any time together at all since they set out; Sasuke hadn't kissed him in six damn days! He was getting…lonely.

"Hn." But the raven just wouldn't bite. He'd been nagging him for the past day and a half; finally getting tired of being ignored, Naruto had reverted to petty insults, trying to pick a fight. He wished he could say it was working. Sasuke just kept walking, now far ahead of the group, now far away from Naruto.

The blonde pouted, starting to feel a sting for real, not just playful anymore. Times like these made him want to cry; why'd he have to go and fall for some asshole? Naruto sighed, biting back the tears that were suddenly knocking behind his eyes.

Gah, this was stupid. Naruto grinned at Hinata before jogging ahead, past the stupid Sasuke to Kiba.

"Oi, dog-breath!" Kiba turned to glare at the blonde, then he smirked.

"What is it, blondie; having trouble keeping up?" When he reached the brunet, the boy punched him in the arm.

"Shut up, jerk-off, not all of us have a damn horse to carry us half the trip."

"Well, that isn't my fault, is it, idiot?"

"You-" Something small and white knocked Naruto in the head, sending him cringing.

"Quit fighting, idiots, you're giving me and Hinata a headache" Sakura smiled at the blushing, shocked girl "right, Hinata?"

"Eh…Uhm, I-I-I-" The girl stuttered nervously until Kiba threw a careless arm around her shoulders, a sharp grin firmly attached.

"No way, Hina's not a bitch like _some_ people."

Naruto ignored the shouting that irrupted as Sakura launched her attack on the dog-nin, catching Hinata in the middle of the whole thing, focusing on Sasuke's expression. So the plan to ignore him completely and become happy had failed; miserably. He was, if anything, feeling closer to tears than ever.

But no, he was a man, damn it, and would confront the bastard in a manly way. The blonde stalked towards his lover, punching him in the shoulder when he reached him, suddenly furious rather than sad.

"The hell's been your problem, teme?"

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, why've you been ignoring me this whole time? What the hell did I do, or, more like what the hell's wedged itself up your asshole?"

The raven just stared blankly, infuriatingly at him before his eyes turned cold.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do, Sasuke! You- You've been ignoring me this whole damn time!" For the second time, Naruto was hit over the head. But this time made him viciously angry.

"Have you realized that only Sakura here knows that we're together? I suppose I'm the stupid one now for assuming you'd already thought about that small factor."

Naruto stood shocked for a second, before feeling the heat rush to his face. It wasn't the pleasant heat of a blush, but the infuriating flush that cuts off brain function. Unfamiliar sarcasm tainted the boy's pink lips.

"Wow, Sasuke; I guess I'm just so used to you being such an insensitive, antisocial, painfully arrogant asshole that I didn't realize when you were trying to be nice."

"Well, now you know."

"Damn it, you asshole!" Naruto clenched his fists to keep from punching his lover "I don't give a crap! You could at least talk to me; you don't have to completely ignore me! I don't even know why I bother with you, you, you- you stupid Uchiha!" Naruto swallowed the huge dry lump that had formed in his throat, face reddening further with anger.

"You can go back; I don't need some icy-assed guy here, I know you don't really want to even be here anyways! I can take care of myself if you're going to be like that!"

Sasuke just stood still, waiting for something. Naruto was about to punch him and himself for hoping the raven would instantly, adamantly deny it. So he really didn't want to be there. He was just feeling obligated.

"So you…." Naruto blinked back tears. Why the hell did he have to love this bastard, this horrible jerk who didn't even care? "You really- mnph!" The blonde blinked in surprise when he was suddenly swept into the woods, high in a tree and hidden behind dozens of branches, pale pink lips covering his immediately, not waiting until they were pinned against the trunk of a massive tree.

Forgetting himself for a moment, Naruto sank into the kiss before remembering he was still angry. Tan hands shoved the raven back roughly.

"What the hell, teme! Don't just kiss me to shut me up, especially when I'm saying something important like this! You really don't care; you're just trying to get me to believe-"

"Shut up, Naruto; I can only take so much bullshit." Naruto felt his eyes go wide in shock, face falling apart before getting really angry. But Sasuke spoke before he could.

"You came to that conclusion on your own, that I didn't want to be here. I was simply trying to watch out for your friends, but if you don't care I certainly don't. Don't get so angry before hearing the entire story." The blonde took a deep breath, calming himself down before puffing his cheeks. Well, that did change things a bit…suddenly silk black hair was tickling his nose, consuming black eyes barely inches away.

"Now, was that any way to react to our first kiss in six days? You've no idea how hard it's been to control myself, especially since you look so cute when you're trying to get my attention."

"T-Teme! I'm not cute, I'm handsome, damnnit!" Naruto tried being angry, except for the unbelievable amount of happy pleasure and relief that was filling his veins. So Sasuke really did care. Naruto shivered as those lips inched closer, hot breath caressing his skin.

"Alright, you're handsome…" Ivory fingers brushed his bangs from his face, lips even closer. "But you're cute, too." Before the blonde could protest full lips were on his, their breath intermingling, tan fingertips grasped Sasuke's pale jaw, playing with wisps of black hair as it blew in the breeze. Sensitive ears twitched as a dog could be heard barking closer and Naruto, with one last flourish, separated from his raven-haired lover; just as an excited Inuzuka bounded into view.

"Hey you two! We've found it; it's just up ahead a few miles!"

"Okay, okay coming!" as the dog-nin disappeared, a suddenly overjoyed blonde was pulled back to Sasuke for one last kiss before they jumped down to the path below.

"Tonight, we're telling them, 'kay, Sasuke?

"Hn. If that means we get to share a room." Naruto grinned back to the boy. He wanted to share a room too.

They walked quickly, now alone on the path as everyone else had gone ahead into the dense forest. How could there be a building in this mess? Naruto soon had his answer as they brushed past the last of the thickets and into a sunny, large clearing, in the middle of which stood a tiny house.

"This is it?" The blonde breathed, a grin already forming. It was perfect. Tsunade had really been watching out for them. He could imagine her smiling to herself as she thought of their hiding place. There was a little well, so obviously no running water but that was no big deal. There was also what looked like an enclosed outdoor bath, walled in by thin planks of the same old-looking, dark wood as the rest of the house.

When they reached the worn wooden doorway the boys could hear excited barking and running feet as their friends explored the house, and with an excited glance back at Sasuke Naruto took off up the stairs to explore as well. There were six rooms total, two on the bottom floor, which included the master bedroom that opened to the inner courtyard, a large open space overgrown with weeds and wild, brightly colored flowers, ancient-looking wrought iron chairs and table decorated one corner next to the stone path.

The house was already fully furnished if not cleaned, as well as being stocked with enough food to last at least a month for them all.

"Hey!" Kiba called down from a room on the second floor into the courtyard, grinning sharply. "This place is freakin' amazing! You know there's a spring to fish a mile out? It's awesome, let's go tomorrow!"

Naruto smiled back up at the dog-nin. "Hell yeah! This is awesome!"

The blonde turned to smile brightly at his raven-haired boy, who just smirked at his childish antics.

"Oi!" Sakura yelled called from the kitchen, where Hinata was putting a water-filled pot on the small stove. "Hinata and I are cooking, so it's up to you boys to clean up and get settled!" The green eyed girl smiled sweetly at the two voices of protest before slamming the door shut, finalizing her decision as unarguable.

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Naruto swallowed, uncomfortable suddenly among his laughing friends and expressionless lover. Dinner was almost over, and the assigning of bedrooms was starting. Sakura had already started giving him slightly anxious glances.

"Uhm… h-hey guys…" Naruto felt his stomach turn nervously, hoping his dinner wouldn't come back to visit him. With the kind of tension he was feeling, it was likely. Especially now, with all eyes on him; this was probably the first time he didn't want everyone's attention so much.

"D- Do you all know why you're here?" Blank stares told him not. How was he going to do this… Sky blue eyes flicked to Sasuke for help, but all hope died quickly at the Uchiha's amused expression.

"No, Naruto, none of us really know what is going on." The soft voice came from across the table, Hinata blushed as he looked at her.

"Ah…how can I say this…? I- no, me and…" The blonde felt another bead of sweat roll down his neck, suddenly feeling unbelievably hot. Blue eyes flicked again towards Sasuke, pleading until they saw his extremely amused expression. Damn bastard, he was really enjoying this, wasn't he? The blonde flushed, blood teaming up with mostly foreign hormones, once again blocking brain flow.

Fuck it all, they had to find out somehow.

With one last look around the table Naruto grabbed a surprised Uchiha's collar roughly, pulling him close to crush their lips together. Pulling back after getting lost a moment, refreshed blue eyes looked back around the table. Sakura was looking down slightly but snickering; Kiba looked a bit green, swaying somewhat on his knees, mouth agape. Hinata looked the most shocked of all, pale eyes huge, face beet red as she gulped; then she collapsed.

Kiba was the first to recover, grabbing his napkin to wet it and pat Hinata's face, still slightly green.

"So…we're here because you're gay?"

Naruto reddened. "No! And I'm not gay, really, just…"

Sakura snickered again "Just Sasuke gay."

Naruto looked down, face red, incredibly embarrassed. "Well…yeah... I mean, I guess…" The blonde looked up suddenly, blue eyes earnest "But that's not why you're here!"

Kiba grimaced as Hinata groaned slightly, still unconscious but coming up fast; the brunette looked up at the kitsune. "So then why?"

"Uhm, well, a- awhile ago…you know how I got fused with Kyuubi?"

Nods all around. Hinata sighed lightly.

"Well, I guess it got pissed because you know when I die, it dies and all…"

More nods.

"It um… when me and Sasuke…._you know_, it uh… made me um…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, completely unaffected with the entire situation.

"Just tell them already."

After extensive glaring by the blonde, Naruto turned back to the completely silent room. Except for Sakura trying to hide her fit of giggles, of course.

"I'm pregnant." Sakura lost the battle, quietly laughing into her hand; Kiba just froze, staring at Naruto. And that's when he started laughing.

Naruto could've handled a few minutes of cracking up like he handled Sakura's giggle fit, but this was no giggle fit; this was gasping for air, rolling on the ground with tears welling, features half-pained from lack of oxygen and cramping muscles, booming, face twisting laughter that shook the house's very foundation.

Naruto growled.

"It's not _that_ funny, you know."

Kiba just gasped for air as he doubled over "Oh damn…yes….it….is!"

The boy only began to slow to a chuckle as Hinata began to wake up; the boy leaned over her, still sniggering.

"Hey, you…hehehheh…okay?"

"Kiba…w-what happened?"

The boy turned back to the room. "I'll fill her in as I take her to her room." The boy swung one of the girl's arms around his neck, strong arm slipping under the girl's knees to pick her up.

"Ha, goodnight, guys."

Naruto threw himself back to lie face-up on the wooden floor, sighing heavily before glaring up at Sasuke.

"Some help you were; asshole."

The raven just shrugged. Naruto glowered for a second, before closing his eyes. He wanted a nice, hot, open-air bath in that outdoor tub he saw earlier. Maybe that would work out some of the kinks that knotted his back and tensed his shoulders. Blue eyes fluttered open when cool fingers intertwined with his own, seeing that Sakura had left already. Black eyes were suddenly inches away, pale pink lips looking flushed in the dim lantern light. Sasuke whispered sultrily into his ear, low voice sending shivers down the blonde's spine.

"Want to go take a bath?"

The boy grinned. "You read my mind."

------------------------------------------------

~One Month Later~

----------------------------------------------------

"We gotta find the brother, un." Deidara looked down at his boy, who looked up at him with huge, intelligent teal eyes.

"Don't think we don't notice ya sneakin' downstairs at night ta spy." Yoh looked down; Deidara felt a pang, for once a bit disappointed for being right.

"Why?" the boy led them to a large fallen log, where he sat and looked at the darkening sky.

"'Cause that's who Kumogakure really wants, un. Uchiha Sasuke, not Uchiha Itachi. We gotta find the brother an' force 'im ta turn 'imself in. Or somthin'. We gotta think of somthin'." The blonde sat down too, oblivious of the boy staring at him intently.

"You really care about Itachi-daddy, don't you?" The voice was a whisper, but it cut through Deidara like ice.

"'course not, brat! He's a damnable bastard, 'e is, hm! Selfish, cruel, I'd fight 'im if 'e had his eyes! That's the whole reason I'm here, un!"

"Really?"

"Yes! Now stop pesterin' me, ya damn brat."

"Yes, Deidara-daddy. That's why you guys are always mad at each other, isn't it? Because you care." The blonde didn't answer.

"C-…can I brush your hair?" The little boy pleaded. For some strange reason, the little raven had taken a liking to Deidara's hair, and from being refused, mostly violently, he never asked unless feeling insecure.

Aqua eyes mulled it over. What could 't hurt?

"Fine, un. But just this once." The blonde sat down on the grassy ground next to the giant log where they were on the hill that overlooked the entire little valley, only a few hundred feet from the house where Itachi, the one whose rare smiles made his heart beat faster, Itachi, the one who he….needed, Itachi was planning on sacrificing himself for his brother. Again.

He was leaving in a month. The pain in his chest had been coming more and more frequently nowadays, from once every other month or so to once a month to a few times a month to once a week, now it was a few times a week. Tonight would be one of those nights. He hurt so much it was all the blonde could do to keep it from his face as he thought of Itachi leaving.

He was pathetic.

Aqua eyes closed behind thick lashes as he felt little fingers caress his waist-length hair. He needed a plan was what he needed, not just sitting and moping around. He'd find the little bastard and force him, if necessary, to turn himself in.

Or he could just stop him himself. That'd work, most likely. Deidara sat; unusually serious long after his stray caressed his cheek and walked back to the house, absorbed in his thoughts as the sun set and darkness loomed in the time it took for the moon to show its slivery face, lighting the night brightly with the help of its stars. Then the blonde got up, walking back down the slope and into the small cottage, slipping into Itachi's room.

The raven knew he was coming; he was still fully dressed, sitting on the edge of his bed, face patient and passive as ever. It hurt so much, Deidara had to pace himself as he slowly walked towards the raven-haired man, heart picking up its pace as he neared.

He was pathetic.

The blonde reached Itachi, heart pounding. Could he hear it, the evidence of his weakness? At the Uchiha's expression, he could.

But Deidara leaned down anyways, pain constricting his chest so that his breathing became short, shallow gasps as pink lips reached lush, full red, twining to mold his ache into something sharp and even more torturous. Long cream arms wrapped around the man's neck as he pushed them further into the bed, tongues lacing, aqua eyes squeezed shut. His heart was still pounding while blonde hair fanned down, loose and freshly combed, to hide both their faces.

Deidara threw his legs around the raven's waist as he reached a close-mouthed palm to stroke the Uchiha's pale face tenderly, mouths breaking apart just enough for sultry aqua eyes to watch his own fingers trace Itachi's every feature, brushing tenderly across thick black lashes and full red lips. And then he was under the spell again, crushing their lips together, hands roaming under the raven's shirt to explore uncharted alabaster skin, lifting the motionless raven's shirt off, then his own.

A trickle of thought told him how stupid he was being, basically raping the damn asshole. But then he felt that feather-light touch on his bare side, leaving trails of lava that spread like wildfire, consuming sanity and burning his nerves with its lightning white flash of heat. Deidara broke his lips' solo dance to spread fiery kisses across the man's cut jaw, aqua eyes heavily lidded with lust and something he would die before he admitted out loud.

Nipping at the raven's ear, close-mouthed hands running through the Uchiha's silky hair, letting it loose as his mouth moved down to Itachi's scarred alabaster chest, hot lips latching around one nipple, moving down as his hands worked the man's pants. Glazed eyes looked up at Itachi's face; it was still as impassive as ever, but this time with a barely sheen of sweat.

It was like having sex with a damn statue. Deidara hid his disappointment as he tugged off the man's pants, then his own tightening ones. Wrapping his arms around the Uchiha's neck once again, Deidara ground against him, vying to get a reaction, anything, anything to spur him on. And then pale fingers were just barely brushing through his hair and the blonde's heart jumped into his throat, a smile growing on his face.

That was all he needed, but then the man was starting to kiss him back, just barely, but he still was. The heat was flashing once again, hotter and faster now, boiling his veins and burning his chest, pain lacing down his back, twining with the waves of pleasure now emanating from his hard-on. He had to.

He had to, even if it was wrong because it wasn't what the raven wanted. Stripping off his boxers quickly, pulling Itachi's down, Deidara opened one palm's mouth, tongue caressing, coaxing.

The blonde kissed his love, heart throbbing, body aching as he threw one leg around the Uchiha's slim waist, lips lacing with the other, half sitting up man's as he lowered himself, wincing slightly and wrapping arms around an ivory neck to support him. He was soon surprised to find a firm hand attached to his side, holding him steady as he forced himself to stay relaxed until he slid all the way to the base.

The blonde couldn't hold back a moan as he was filled, filled until it hurt, a distraction from the pain in his chest. That hand burning into his side was what he loved.

He was pathetic, Itachi would never live up to his dead Sasori, but this… this was what he loved.

Blonde hair stuck to the back of his neck as Deidara swayed, slowly rotating his hips until the burning heat from their connection filled his body once again in overwhelming waves and pale fingers brushed his hair from his face gently.

Huge aqua eyes opened wide, still glazed as he saw Itachi fight his emotions for one last second before giving up and giving a tiny moan, one filled with such pleasure the blonde could feel it, and then there were two firm hands burning his sides, holding him breathless, heart pounding into his ears, flushing his face as suddenly the Uchiha was kissing _him_. Deidara felt his breath leave him as Itachi thrust slightly from below, digging impossibly deeper into him, tongue suddenly dominating his own for the first time since…since their first time.

And then the raven had flipped them, the blonde still shocked with surprise as the man kissed his neck, warmth invading his veins to overflow into his aching, flushed heat. With another small, pleasure-packed moan, Itachi pulled out slightly before thrusting back in, the unfamiliar sensation wracking Deidara's body, making him react with almost violent shivers as he tried to hold himself back and Itachi dove deeper, hitting an unknown spot deep within that had him gasping, back arching, sweat dripping in salty beads across his cheek and that were quickly licked clean by a fiery tongue.

The man thrust again and again, sending more shivers down the blonde's spine as he groaned, trying to focus on keeping his legs wrapped around the other man's back instead of flailing hopelessly the way his heart was. Deidara pulled their lips back together, tightening around the raven as he fought, then lost his uphill battle.

He moaned into their intertwined lips, tasting sweetness as fireworks exploded in the most beautiful, intimate art in the world behind closed, desperate lids, all his senses heightened as Itachi worked his way into his hollowed, limp body, already shot nerves aching sharply with the continual lightning that stroked his body until, with one last moan, Itachi too gave up the ghost, collapsing panting on top of Deidara.

They both fought to catch their breath. With a sigh, warmth filled the blonde's veins as Itachi stroked his hair tenderly; it was a different kind of warmth from the blinding, suffocating, intoxicating fire of sex, it was comforting, gentle, Deidara fell asleep to ivory fingers threading through his hair, clutching tight to his placid warmth.

He was pathetic, but the pain, for the first time since that first night, was completely evaporated in rose.

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Itachi drifted into consciousness, feeling dawn soon coming in the sky, feeling unbelievably warm at the heat at his side and the memories that floated into his mind. He had lost control last night, giving in to his emotions and his feelings for the blonde.

That was inexcusable.

But when he heard the contented breath next to him as Deidara sighed in his sleep, the raven lifted a gentle hand to caress the man's face, tracing his eyes, his lips, his hair, surprised to find the man's guard completely down, something he'd only seen once before.

It was a situation similar to this, except right after Itachi had decided to refrain from 'giving in' ever again. It affected him too deeply.

Like this time; it affected him so much, delving into his chest, rubbing a cooling balm onto his scarred, virtually destroyed heart. Just being around the blonde healed him; but he couldn't get too attached, it made it that much harder to die.

Itachi heard the man sigh again, felt his skin twitch with his small, contented smile, felt his slowly healing heart ache. Inching closer as to not wake Deidara up, Itachi brushed a kiss on the man's warm lips before getting up, grabbing some clothes and heading into their private outdoor bath to get clean and feel the sunrise bring the world to life.

Lying back against the rim of the large bath, head resting against a small pillow, he opened his eyes to view the dark nothingness, then closed them again as he felt the presence.

"Do ya always wake up this early, un?" the lulling voice was soft, with its constant, endearing rough edge. The man walked closer, and for once Itachi didn't try to hold back the small smile, hearing the other's heart speed up. It always happened.

Deidara reached him, playing with his hair; Itachi could feel the nervousness in his tensed aura, the way he was pulling at the ends of his hair. Pale fingers twitched. He might as well…the raven motioned for the man to get in, heart throbbing slightly as he heard the sounds of the single, thin bed sheet hitting the stone floor; the hot water rippling as Deidara slipped his first foot in.

Reaching with one hand for the blonde to take it, Itachi pulled him gently towards a broad, thin ivory chest to sit on his lap, wrapping his arms around the other man's waist and secretly glad when he didn't protest. Flushed red lips whispered into Deidara's ear, feeling his shiver as warm breath tickled the blonde's ear.

"Yes, I do. But you do not. What has you awake so early, Deidara?"

The man in his arms huffed, but leaned back against him. "You; ya bastard woke me up. What the hell ya doin' so early anyways, hm?"

"This, usually; I sense the sunrise."

"Yeah, well, I'm thinkin' we've got about an hour and a half before we gotta munchkin risin'."

"Mm." Itachi relaxed, arms wrapped tightly around his blonde. It was times like these that made him think twice about dying. For once in his life, there was something much more to live for.

* * *

**(AN) Hey. **

**So my inspiration for this story, once only suffering, is now about gone. Seriously, I've written about three pages in the last two weeks, and with the way i usually write, that's really saying somthing. I won't ever just drop a story, but i could seriously use some encouragment. please.**

**Anyways, the plot will be picking back up at the end of the next chapter, and yes, for those who i know are wondering, the ItaDei will have a big part in how the whole thing turns out. I just have no idea how it'll end. But I'm promising everyone now, it won't end like my last story.**

**So please, please, please help me out; i hate the feeling of not being able to write.**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed.**


	11. 11Of the Moonlit Months of Autumn

**Thanks so much** for all your support and encouragment! I actually wrote a whole chapter right after people sent me so much love, it was like a freaking miracle.

**During a bit of a debate.**

**Sister: It's nice to be shot down immediately.**

**Dad: (laughing)**

**~A Moment in My Family life~**

enjoy.

**11**Of the Moonlit Months of Autumn

* * *

"Lunch is all set, you missed breakfast already, sleepyhead" Blue eyes flicked open to grinning, sharp teeth. The sun said midmorning, but after last night, Naruto said too early. He was agitated already.

The dog-nin leaned in close, whispering "Or is it the hormones, huh, man? Is it the hormones?" Naruto closed his eyes.

"Kiba, I swear I will rip you apart with my bare hands, blood _everywhere_, if you don't shut the fuck up. Right now."

The brunette looked at him through playful slit eyes, checking him over from purpling bags under his eyes to distended stomach.

"Hmm, I don't know if you can even get up with that swollen tank you've got there."

"Want to find out, eh, dog-breathed little shit?"

"Oo, he's angry today. Feisty; just how Sasuke like's 'em, ne?"

Naruto took a deep breath, patience running out. Flicking his eyes open, the boy instantly had Kiba's arm wrapped around his throat, the other pulled around his back.

"Haha alright, alright, I give!" Naruto grinned, letting him go.

"See? Dag, Kiba, you just got beat in less than five seconds by a pregnant person. Some guard you are."

The boy chuckled, rubbing his neck and extending a hand for the blonde to get up.

"Yeah, I did realize how sharp you still were past the grotesquely huge belly."

"And that's why you won't get past the chuunin you are."

"Fuck you; you're a chuunin too, dumbass!"

Naruto just stuck out his tongue as he walked to the dining room in his pajama bottoms and t-shirt. Why didn't Sasuke wake him up for breakfast like usual? The day was bright for autumn; Naruto could already feel its slight chill against his skin. Well, all except for the skin of his stomach. It stood out a full five inches. Now that he didn't get morning sickness too much he got other things, like his legs would go a bit numb on and off, he would sleep in as late as possible, he had trouble sleeping, he had what Sakura had diagnosed as 'heartburn', it was all really strange. But at least his moods felt a lot more stable.

The blonde reached the entrance, wandering into the dining room where everyone was already seated and eating, laughing together except for Sasuke, who sat nonchalantly. Naruto had the feeling today was going to be a good day. When he sat down cross-legged on the floor next to Sasuke, Naruto leant in to whisper.

"Oi, asshole; why didn't you wake me up for breakfast?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I did, but you got angry and tried punching me in the face, so I left you alone." He hadn't been getting too much sleep either, mainly because of Naruto waking him up in the middle of the night… for several reasons; not all bad for the Uchiha, he wanted to say.

But Naruto kept quiet, just glowering instead. It seemed he had only four buttons. He was either really sad, really happy, _really_ horney or really angry.

All emotions beyond those were very toned down if existent at all, even Naruto was getting tired of it and he couldn't imagine how Sasuke felt. It had been six months, and it was mid-autumn. And they were running out of food, especially with the way the blonde had been eating. In a few minutes Sakura already had his plates heaping, knowing how much he ate nowadays, despite still being almost painfully thin. Naruto spoke between mouthfuls.

"Hey…so what do you…all want…to do….today?" Sasuke leaned in during one of the brief pauses, already having finished his food, to wipe at Naruto's mouth with a napkin.

"Don't speak with your mouth full."

The small blonde just rolled his eyes, taking bites around the pale boy's wiping hand.

"Well," Sakura started as Kiba wolfed down his food as well, winking at Naruto who stuck out a food-covered tongue. "I was thinking we could go down to the river. We all need to do laundry, and maybe catch some fish for dinner tonight. Because of _someone_, we're running out of food early."

Surprisingly, Sakura didn't glare at Naruto, but at Kiba who gaped, cheeks still stuffed.

"Wha- _me_? What about preggers over there?!" Dirty chopsticks were suddenly being poked in Naruto's face, who grinned as Sakura served him more.

"He's eating for four! What's your excuse, eh, dog-boy?" Green eyes glinted dangerously so Kiba just made a face and kept shoving food in.

"Where's Hina?" the dog-boy said, finally full with his slightly distended stomach sticking out of his thin t-shirt, rubbing it satisfied, laying back.

"Kiba, look- I beat you." Naruto grinned, pointing at his stretched stomach in a similar position as it stuck out of his clothes. Kiba cracked up, groaning when the movement disturbed his stomach.

"Hehheh, yeah, you sure as hell did blondie!" Naruto giggled, falling backwards unto a pale hand. When huge blue eyes looked up, Sasuke smirked and the blonde smiled.

"It was Hinata's turn to report to the Anbu squad on the perimeter. She'll be back by the time we leave."

"Okay then!" Kiba got up, trying to run and escape but caught by a small white fist.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? You ate, so now you help clean." The girl smiled pleasantly. "Naruto, why don't you come sit outside with me while these boys clean up?"

The blonde grinned. "Sounds great." With a quick look at a bored Sasuke, Naruto pecked the boy's lips as he got to his feet and followed the girl outside.

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"Sasuke, making it hotter does _not_ make the food cook faster. It just burns that way." The blonde took the spoon from his hands and Sasuke let it go. It wasn't like he wanted to learn how to cook anyways. Uchiha's had maids for that.

"Naruto, tell me again what the point of these lessons is?" The raven folded his arms, leaning back against the counter near the gas-lit stove as Naruto stirred.

"Because I'm sure as hell not gunna be the one cooking every time. You need to help out too." Naruto turned, sticking out the spoon for the Uchiha to try it. It was surprisingly good. When he nodded in approval Naruto grinned.

"Then we could hire someone."

Naruto sniffed their creation, adding more of some nameless spice.

"I can't afford that. It's a waste when I could probably do it better anyways."

"Well, that's another reason I'm here. I'll take care of it" Sasuke took over the stirring, gently pushing Naruto to the side while he packaged the rest of their meals.

"To pay for everything? Thanks, but I think not. I can take care of things myself." The blonde leaned back against the counter as Sasuke worked, hands rubbing his stomach's bulge thoughtlessly.

"Naruto, I know you're independent, but you can't pay for yourself plus three babies. It's simply not logical, and also then what would I be able do? You've obviously got everything else handled." Sasuke kept working past the silence of the boy behind him for a few minutes until a soft voice reached him.

"Touch me." The tall boy closed his eyes, exhaling before turning.

"What?"

Big blue eyes looked up at him, a small smile lighting the boy's tan face. He looked at his distended stomach, then back to black eyes.

"Touch it. You know their supposed to recognize the voices of their parents?" Sasuke warmed at the smile, knowing the boy was trying to change the subject. He stepped forward anyways, grabbing tan fingers in pale, capturing peachy pink lips with flushed red. The Uchiha smirked, dropping to his knees, eyes never leaving blue as his hands brushed the boy's stretched sides. Black eyes lowered to stare the stomach head-on before the boy pressed an ivory cheek to the hollow-sounding skin.

"Move in with me." Sasuke's voice was absolute. It was the only way; and it would be….nice. Under him, Naruto shifted uncomfortably. Sasuke looked up into big, unreadable blue eyes. He stood, looking down into those eyes, still waiting. Patience, patience…

"Wouldn't that be like…like we were…" Naruto shook his head, smiling suddenly "Nothing, never mind." Tan fingers grasped a pale face, Naruto grinned at him. "That'd be great."

"What would it be like we were?" Black eyes glinted intelligently. He knew where this was going, but he still pushed it. Was he stupid, or was it what he wanted?

"Nothing; leave it, teme." Naruto tried pushing past him and Sasuke pinned him against the counter, both hands under the boy's shirt to cradle the blonde's stomach, nose tickled by yellow locks as he leant in close to whisper.

"Like we were married?" Sasuke felt the flush of heat next to him and smirked.

"No, who's thinking that, Sasuke?"

Sasuke kept going, despite his inner bachelor shouting at him viciously. He was still 17 for goodness' sakes, was he seriously having this conversation? Sasuke pulled back slightly, bringing one hand to caress his lover's flushed face.

"You are; dobe."

Huge azure eyes bore holes in his head until pink lips slowly, gently brushed his, he could hear Naruto's breathing hitch when he wrapped his arms around the boy's slim waist. The picnic could wait.

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The sun was at its peak, bathing the autumn world in a clear light. About a mile from the cottage stood a gigantic oak, its leaves a pure, vibrant red as they sifted in the wind. Under the shade of the tree was a checkered blanket, spread out with the remnants of a picnic quickly consumed. Someone flicked water in his face and Sasuke groaned from his seat on the bank.

"Get in already, don't be a pansy!" Naruto grinned up at him, all smiles and bare distended stomach.

"Hn."

The boy's brows furrowed from his place a few feet away, waist-deep in the water. A loud bark sounded in the distance where Sakura and Hinata were playing with Kiba and Akamaru gaily. Seriously. The whole 'happy' and 'innocently playing in the great outdoors' thing was starting to wear on the Uchiha's nerves. He needed some action. Black eyes glittered in the afternoon sun as they watched the boy splash happily in the water until something cold and wet hit him in the face. Sasuke exhaled, praying for patience and when it arrived, he opened his eyes and stood.

"Aw, you're not going to leave, are you?" Naruto floated back in the water, boxers bloated with trapped air as he hovered in the clarity.

Sasuke just lifted his shirt, unzipping his pants and ignoring the cat calls that arrived from farther down the river. Finished stripping, Sasuke pushed his hair from his face to wide blue eyes and waded into the river.

Black hair hung suspended like a halo around the boy's pale face as he sank deeper into the water, stopping only when his foot hit the bottom, where he anchored himself for a few moments of peace in the wet privacy.

After a second there were suddenly cool, wiry muscled arms wrapped around his waist, reacting Sasuke wound his own arms around the boy's strong neck, burying his face in the warmth of the boy's collar, enjoying it as Naruto pulled them closer together, one hand wandering to the near scalding heat of the boy's stomach, kissing the soft flesh in the base of his neckline.

They stayed as long as possible, but when the burning, light-headed need for oxygen finally won Sasuke released his anchor and shot for the surface.

Running pale fingers through inky hair, pulling it away from his face, Sasuke looked at the boy next to him, who grinned and put an arm around his shoulders.

"This has been…fun." Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes. Naruto was, as usual, completely forgetting the fact that every day, the children growing inside him reduced his chances of survival, that they were in danger from several villages and the list went on.

But…Sasuke gripped the back of the boy's neck, bringing them close, the other hand wandering to thumb the boy's belly gently…but…peachy lips looked so enticing, a glossy sheen of water adding a luscious tint that pounded in Sasuke's heart, in his veins as he inched closer, brushing his lips against the boy's lower lip, ready to envelop him whole when a piercing little shriek sounded behind them. Damn it all.

"Ino?" The blonde behind them stood frozen, wide blue eyes taking in the sight before her; Sasuke's hand tenderly gripping Naruto's neck, their lips inches apart, their bodies pressed as close as Naruto's water-hidden stomach would allow. The first signs began to appear after the first few seconds of open-mouthed ogling. A slight shift in the brows, from arched and furrowed to a more liberal, suggestive arc, the wide and general flush reducing into twin spots of mischievous color over each cheekbone; Sasuke turned away before the first jeers were awakened.

"Oh, my! I'm _sorry_, am I, perhaps, interrupting something?" Sasuke sighed. This was exactly why there was only so much he could handle of being around Naruto's friends. They were simply all idiots.

Naruto pulled him closer; not the reaction he was expecting, although he kept the surprise from impassive features.

"Yeah, actually. You were." And with that, Naruto's mouth was covering his, strong arms pushing him up against the steep bank, tan fingers running up his pale muscled abdomen in goose-bump producing trails. What a great time for Naruto to get horney.

The girl, instead of blushing and looking away like most would, simply stared and squealed, pink blush spots growing into a more ardent melon.

"Ino, come help unpack." The lazy voice brought Naruto out of his sudden 'mood' and the boy perked, breaking away to lean against the bank and see what they brought. Sasuke almost groaned. More people.

"Oh shit!" Naruto grabbed his shirt, lithely putting it on as he slipped from the water, successfully hiding his bulging stomach for a little while longer as he inspected their load.

"You brought booze!" Naruto crowed happily, nuzzling a bottle of watermelon gin. Sasuke rolled his eyes; there really should be a limit to how stupid someone could be.

"Dumbass, you won't be having any." Sasuke spoke as he emerged from the water, wiping himself down with a towel from the riverside. Naruto turned blue eyes on him.

"Why not?!"

Shikamaru sighed from behind the blonde, obviously thinking the same thing the raven was. The spiky-haired boy was the only one on the team of three guests who knew what was going on. Sasuke dropped the cloth over a blonde head when he reached them, leaning in to whisper in the boy's ear.

"Do you want me to explain later, or can you figure this one out yourself?"

Naruto turned and glared, wheels obviously turning in his head, an angry flush staining tanned cheeks.

Really? _Really?_

Sasuke sighed. He needed some aspirin.

"Shikamaru! Ino!" Sakura was heading their way, smiling largely and waving until she reached the caravan. Ino rushed to the girl's side to whisper loudly in her ear.

"Sakura, Sakura, did you know about this?" The pink-haired girl giggled, green eyes glinting in the sunlight as she covered her lips with a single shushing finger and lead her friend away.

Naruto scoffed, then turned back to his prize.

"Why can't I have any? Why, teme?" Naruto dug through the bottles, picking out several to ogle.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and wandered away to talk to Kiba.

"Because you're pregnant, remember, dumbass?" Sasuke stared as Naruto looked slowly to his bulging, though barely visible through his loose shirt stomach, poked it, then sighed.

"Shut up. It just slipped my mind. This sucks; their totally going to have a party without me." Naruto pouted, still eyeing a particularly large bottle of clear fluid. Then he grinned, huge azure eyes watching Sasuke happily, suspiciously.

"Well, at least this means I'll have someone to not be drunk with, ne, Sasuke?" Naruto sauntered towards the raven, wrapping warm, almost completely dry arms around his neck and Sasuke scoffed.

"You'd go sober for me, right, Sasuke? Right?" Their faces an inch apart, Sasuke resisted the urge to give in, instead just staring down into blue eyes for a long moment before shrugging and smirking. Sasuke turned away from a shocked looking Naruto, wandering back to the house and a nice bath before the party.

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The heady scent of pure, undiluted cheap alcohol was burning into Naruto's throat, making him nauseas, making him dizzy. The drunken laughter of his friends was irritating. He wanted to be among the stupidity and booze. Damn it all.

The blonde got up slowly, as to not get too faint, wincing at the numbness in his legs as he trudged into his and Sasuke's room on the first floor, overwhelmingly glad that he didn't have to bypass the obstacle stairs had become for him recently. Groaning, the boy about slammed the wooden door against the sticky smell and lights, glad for the silvery darkness of the room. As he fell to his knees onto their shared, oversized futon the small boy sighed and spread out on his back, legs separated and arms wide, eyes closed.

He hadn't seen Sasuke since the afternoon, when the bastard had left him. He'd probably stolen a few bottles and gone somewhere to drink them by himself. Or something. Naruto sighed again heavily, rubbing his eyes in the moonlight. He wasn't even tired really; he just wanted to get away from the smells and the lights. Grimacing slightly, Naruto reached a hand to try and massage his numbed legs. Sakura had said something the first time it started happening, something about the growing babies cutting off circulation to his legs, and that he would have to massage them occasionally to get blood flowing again.

No one had said it was such a bother to be pregnant. His legs were numb, he felt sick at the smell of alcohol, he was about to cry at Sasuke's absence, he couldn't sleep. He couldn't even eat ramen anymore without throwing up almost directly afterwards.

This was so retarded; he just wanted to be normal again. No…the blonde curled around his stomach. No, he just wanted Sasuke to come and comfort him and _not_ smell like booze. Sasuke would smell like himself, a mixture of soap and mint and something else… Naruto caught himself smiling and shoved the feeling back. His legs were still numb and it was starting to get annoying.

A knock on the now open doorway made him jump, then hiss in irritation.

"The hell are _you_ doing here?" The boy worked his legs harder, but it was a bit difficult to reach around his stomach.

The raven didn't answer, only worsening Naruto's already unusually black mood. The boy huffed and ignored his lover. He really didn't know why he put up with him.

Cool ivory hands covered his straining ones as the tall boy reached him, kneeling down before his numbed legs.

"Go away. You just piss me off, you know that?" Blue eyes glinted dangerously in the moonlight, sending daggers straight into an unrelenting black gaze.

"What gives you the right to just walk away like that in the middle of a conversation? Your damn Uchiha blood?" The blonde scoffed, feeling more than irritated for some reason and wanting a reaction. "Get off me."

"You were giving me a headache." Sasuke didn't move his hands; Naruto felt the fury in his veins jump a notch.

"Fuck you; you give me a headache every day. And that's still no reason." Naruto shifted out of the boy's reach, lounging nonchalantly on the futon, anger still brimming.

"No, I think you're just angry that you have to be here. That's it, isn't it? I should kick your sorry ass." Naruto smirked. He was feeling restless.

Sasuke climbed further up the boy's numbed thighs, unperturbed by the deadly, moody glint in blue eyes. "Try it."

In an instant, Naruto had let loose his right hook, catching the raven hard on the jaw. Naruto took the boy's frozen moment of surprise to stretch out his now aching knuckles and pull back for round two. This was what he'd been missing; some good old fashioned fist-fighting. Pulling back a few good inched farther, Naruto let fly, only to have it caught by strong pale fingers and shoved into the futon as Sasuke pushed him roughly to the covers.

"How'd you like that, teme?" Naruto grinned voraciously as the tall Uchiha glowered down at him, still pinning one fist to the ground. The blonde took first initiative again, this time with his left and as Sasuke caught that clenched fist he lifted a numb knee to catch the alabaster boy's hard stomach, loosening his grip on the small boy's fists.

"Naruto, what the hell are you-" The raven's words were forced down as Naruto grabbed both pale wrists, flipping him to pin him against the comforter, still glaring dangerously as he shifted the pale boy's hands under his knees to free tan hands.

"I'm telling you I don't like how you treat me, got it? I'm pregnant, I'm tired, I'm _so_ not drunk and I'm fucking done with you. You think I'm moody?" Naruto leant in to glower intensely into the boy's black pitch eyes.

"You're a sick bastard and I'm tired of your crap. Like I said, I don't want you here unless you want to be here."

Naruto pulled back to punch the boy's face again, letting out all of his accumulated anger, his frustration at the raven. The pale Uchiha just lay placidly; blood leaking from a split lip as he tamed the anger Naruto could feel trembling like a small earthquake under him.

Then ink eyes were boring into him, glinting with malicious hidden rage.

"I treat you badly? Have you heard yourself lately?" Sasuke sat up, forcing Naruto back, gripping his wrists too tightly, bruising them. It really hurt; the blonde grimaced as he was forced back painfully, then thrown roughly under the Uchiha. The boy grit his teeth together against the warning flashes of pain that laced down his arms.

"You're constantly whining; talking more than your usual amount. It's fucking annoying. I merely went to be alone, without a blonde nag crying at me for a few hours." The shocking words shivered through the blonde's spine and he bit back tears. He shouldn't be the one crying.

"And you're upset about not being able to get drunk? Don't be so childish, it's not that big of a deal, and that isn't really why you're mad." Sasuke forced thin arms hard against the floor, twisting them together with one hand to hold them above a blonde head.

"It's true; sometimes I don't want to be here. But that's only human, Dumbass; and you need to face reality. I do want to be here most of the time, but I am who I am; this is what you're going to get with me." Naruto relaxed to the words a moment before letting loose his real rage.

"Bullshit. You are who you are? You're just spewing shit." Naruto flexed his real muscles, breaking free from Sasuke's grasp easily to punch him hard, this time with a left hook to the base of his jaw, shoving the tall boy violently upwards.

"_You are _just an asshole. _You are_ not getting away with bruising me. And _you are _going to change." Naruto forced him to his knees, "because I don't want such an immature bastard raising our kids."

The blonde clutched the raven's collar roughly, daring him to speak against him. He was pregnant, he was angry and he was going to have the father of his children grow the fuck up. Everyone said Naruto was childish, but the truth is, Sasuke was more immature than Naruto.

And that was just not going to fly.

Black eyes gazed down intensely at him, their twisted faces inches apart, Naruto's swelling arms pulling sharply on the nerves through his arms as he gripped the shirt, Sasuke's cheek swelling with the force of Naruto's punches as he clutched the boy's hands.

"Well?" Blue eyes glinted like chipped ice and Sasuke smirked, leaning down for a soft, fiery kiss.

Naruto shoved him back instantly, throwing the tall boy roughly to the futon, scrubbing his lips with his shirt. Before he could look up, Sasuke had him by the wrists again, sending trembling pain shooting up the blonde's arms as they wrestled for dominance, Sasuke pinned Naruto to the ground and he bit back a groan as his swollen wrists were gripped tighter and the hard ground bruised his back. This wasn't over.

Tensing his stomach the blonde wrapped his numbed legs around the Uchiha, flipping them once again, and after several unsuccessful tries to get his aching arms released, Naruto pushed. He shoved the boy's gripping hands down with his forearms, pinning them with his elbows to get a better reach. He wasn't out of tricks just yet.

Infuriated red lips parted widely around gleaming white teeth, sharp canines seemingly elongated in the silver light, and closing his eyes the boy sank his teeth into the soft flesh of the ivory boy's neck. Smirking at the hiss the emanated from his enraged lover, Naruto turned serious eyes back to black.

"Well? What're you going to do, eh, teme?"

Ink pools glittered at him for a nervous moment, steel butterflies causing chaos in Naruto's churning stomach.

"You going to grow up, or get out?" Obsidian eyes glinted for a moment more, before suddenly there were reddened lips on his, soft at first, growing in intensity as Naruto tried to pull away, forced close by painful fingers around his wrists. Not shifting their lips' hold Sasuke turned them again, leaning in close to a struggling blonde, whispering sultrily into his ear.

"_The_ dobe is telling _me_ to grow up?" Naruto heard the cold scoff and snapped, twisting his injured arms from the boy's iron grasp without even a wince, bringing an unfeeling foot to slide him away a few feet before smashing it into one stupid, arrogant, egotistical, sadistic, sharp tongued, despicable bastard's face, sending him stumbling on his knees a few feet back.

"That's right, you fuck, the _former_ dobe is telling you to grow up."

Naruto rubbed his wrists, refusing to let the invading tears free, instead concentrating on the anger that boiled up inside him like the bile he'd grown so used to retching almost every morning. Instantly, before he had time to react his limited nighttime vision was overwhelmed in gleaming black, rough hands that pushed him down unto the soft comforter, red lips that worked his own in heart throbbing patterns.

Catching a glimpse of his consciousness, the blonde bit down on Sasuke's lush bottom lip, the one that had already been thoroughly bruised and split with previous blows as large hands rapt his sides, leaving him breathless. Sharp teeth pulled the abused flesh, cutting another gash, then licking up the crimson as the raven hissed, pulling away to suck a violent garnet mark on a straining tan neck.

"Ngh," Razor-sharp teeth scraped the irritated hickey and Naruto shuddered, rolling them once again to leer in the tall boy's ear "I take it you're willing to change?"

His only answer came as Sasuke ran bruising hard fingers across his straddling thighs, the blonde bit his ear, then lapped at the swelling droplets, tugging with delicate teeth as Sasuke instinctively shuddered under him.

"You're still a dobe." Naruto sent a punishing fist into the pale boy's arm and he hissed, leaning in closer in the slivery moonlight.

"You're still _my_ dobe." Another tan fist caught the same abused arm and Sasuke arched in pain, the friction and moan shivering its way up Naruto's spine and he gasped, then dove to capture red lips with his own, biting those damnably sweet lips as his nails dug forcefully into a pale, muscled back.

Naruto growled, ripping off the tall boy's shirt, pressing tender spots and fading bruises, then healing the writhing pain with searing kisses.

"Possessive bastard; I'm not anyone's." Sasuke ran blood-heating fingertips to shiver up Naruto's bare spine, across a gooseflesh chest and down to caress the blonde's distended stomach.

"Hn." The raven visibly bit back a moan as the small boy ran calloused fingers down a muscled alabaster abdomen, unbuttoning his pants in a quick moment before pausing.

"Don't let me down." The sultry whisper resounded in the suddenly dead-silent room, echoing into a stoic raven's ear; all he could do was hope his words reached the boy's heart. Then the world was deafeningly loud, a swirling, soundless mass of buzzing with one distinct beat, the beat of the heart under him and his own pounding in sync as pale arms wrapped around his neck, bringing him down to meet warm lips in a gentle embrace.

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Next to him the heat shifted and Naruto groaned aloud at the rush of freezing air.

"Damn it, what is it now, Sasuke?" Blue eyes fluttered open to reveal a still nighttime world; they hadn't even completely drifted off to sleep yet and the raven was already up and about. The blonde yawned impatiently, watery eyes facing the boy at the window.

A dusting of pink spread across his cheeks at the naked sight and the boy flipped under the covers, not trusting the silvery moonlight to hide his embarrassment sufficiently. When the warmth had finally settled back under the covers Naruto dared peek out, still slightly irritated but too sleepy to care all that much as warm arms cradled him close. Sighing, the boy nuzzled further into the broad, hot expanse of his lover's chest.

"So, what was it?"

"I thought I felt something." Strong arms hugged him closer. "It was probably nothing."

Outside a dark figure flashed away.

Target located.

* * *

**(AN) Hey guys. So, wow, i was so happy at how much encouragment i got! It was amazing, thank you and please continue supporting me. ****So the real thing starts next chapter or so, i got an updated outline and am thinking more like 16 chapters and an epilogue. Sound good?**

**Can you beleive this story has only been out for a little more than a month? ****Surprising, i know. 73 reviews after only a month! (yay)**

**Please review! I can promise an eariler update this time because i wrote some!**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	12. 12Of Fighting Love and Windy Messages

You guys were so awesome i decided to update way too early...again. heheh.

Special thanks to **InjuUchiha** for reading and reviewing even through my old story**, EvilChinchilla** for your support**,** and **_Everyone Else_** for your amazing, comprehensive reviews**!**

Driving to the Beach

**Dad: I know this officer who tags people around here; i think his name's Wood.**

**Sister: (while driving and giggling) Officer Wood? Really? What's his first name?**

**Dad: 'R' somthing. It started with an 'R'...**

**Me:** **'Randy'? Like, 'Officer Randy Wood'? *gigglesnort**

a moment in my family life.

enjoy.

**12**Of Fighting Love and Windy Messages

* * *

The barren trees flew past in a whir of dark matte color, stark against the almost constant white glisten of the forest floor. The tall boy slowed to a walk, trying to enjoy his few free moments to think and worry by himself. The raven sighed, pushing back inky locks from his pensive forehead, trying to calm down enough to think straight. They'd been fighting almost every day, over the smallest things. He couldn't even get up by himself now, although he tried every time.

Sasuke huffed, breathing in the chill winter air with a refreshed attitude. They just needed some time to work things out. That was it; because this was love. Real love. Your boyfriend and best friend gets pregnant _again_ and you stick through it kind of love. The four lettered word sent a few shivers down the boy's spine. But it was real nonetheless.

Resting against a tree for a moment, the tall Uchiha clenched his fists; this was getting harder to deal with though, the worry that plagued him and made him irritable. That was the main reason he snapped at Naruto nowadays, the nine-month mark was coming up fast and there was still no sign of readiness by the children. It could become very dangerous very fast, people can't build up a defense for internal organs and even with Kyuubi's healing power, if the children decided one day to just stretch harder than usual something could easily become irreparably damaged. They all even had to take lessons now, given by Sakura and assisted by Hinata where they learned exactly what to do should something go horribly wrong.

A bird cawed in the distance, its sound melancholy and low with a base of hidden ache. Not a minute after the first, dozens of caws suddenly erupted from the once noiseless forest, the heart-rending utterances chiming across miles of seemingly deserted woods. Sasuke tensed, alert on full. There was nothing natural about the chorus. After a moment, he decided to keep walking. He could take whatever came through easily.

Black eyes closed for a second, trying to let the natural peace from the outside world in, trying to release the accumulated tension from his shoulders. When obsidian eyes opened once again, there was a small figure standing almost ten feet away. Teal eyes were reddened with silent, streaming tears the raven-haired boy didn't bother to wipe away; Sasuke felt a tremble down his spine. When had the boy gotten there? There had been no sign of him, and he'd been on full alert!

"I found you." The whisper was directed at the ground at first, then the little boy almost mechanically turned his face upwards to shoot rays of hellfire through Sasuke's body. Or at least that was what it felt like as the boy's incriminating gaze pierced him straight through.

"It's too late!" He was screaming, finally wiping at the fat tears that roiled like angered salty waves down the boy's cherubic face. "I've been searching for days, I just finally found you, and it's already too late!"

Sasuke fought the urge to take a step back as the boy stormed up to him in a whirl, feet never making a sound against the snowy heaps.

"What are you talking about? Why were you looking for me?" The boy's delicate, sculpted features darkened.

"You- It's your fault. He's going to die and it's all your fault! You, you- you're the worst family ever! How can you just let him die?!"

"I don't even know who you are." The boy only gasped in overwhelming sobs, curling up on the snowy ground, face buried in little knees. Blue-black ravens swooped in to land near the boy, as if to share his grief.

"My daddy's always been looking out for you." He seemed to have calmed down; the Uchiha let out a small breath as the boy spoke up.

"He-he's practically given his whole life to you. But now…" Watery teal eyes looked up at him and Sasuke only stared down heartlessly, not letting any emotion pass through his features.

"You're from Konohagakure, so you must know about the war with Kumogakure. It's almost completely your fault. They were just looking for an excuse and your crimes while part of Akatsuki was it. Now they want you; no, they want your eyes." The boy grimaced and glared suddenly.

"So now my daddy's going right now to sacrifice himself so you can live. Again."

What did he mean about again? Was this what Tsunade had been refusing to tell them? Sasuke looked to the floor, then sank to his knees to keep listening, motioning for the boy to go on. Even if every sentence the boy said felt riddled with accusations.

"What do you have to do with any of this? Why didn't you father come and talk to me?"

"Like I said; I'm inconspicuous. Neither of my parents could come talk to you, you'd either start fighting or something else. Something worse. I'm just like a messenger, because you're too stupid to figure out these things yourself."

Sasuke blinked. He couldn't think of anyone who liked him enough to… other than Naruto. But that wasn't possible.

"None of this is my problem. If Kumogakure comes here, or to the village where my family is at, or if they are involved with my mission then it is; but other than that what your father does with his life is none of my concern."

Sasuke got up, readying to walk away. A quiet, rough voice behind him made him pause.

"Do you know who my father is, Uchiha Sasuke?"

The raven-haired boy turned slowly.

"His name is Uchiha Itachi. Your big brother."

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"Um…S-Sakura, could you, ah…" Naruto winced back a groan as he tried to sit up, attempting to push himself off the couch, rolling to the side and then off; nothing worked without pain from squeezing his huge stomach stopping him.

Naruto had never been fat. Not once in his life; just didn't have the resources or the conviction. But this… the boy relaxed and just waited until the pink-haired girl came up from the kitchen, exhausted after a nearly ten minute long battle with the triplets. They simply refused to budge for their poor, suffering father. Well, technically a mother, but who bothers with technicalities anyways?

The blonde grimaced at his friend and doctor's beaming smile as she neared him. She'd been great at the beginning; he'd loved her special attention. But now it was getting pathetic.

Before, her kindness was optional; he could refuse a hand to help him up or the occasional leg massage when they went numb if he wanted. Now it was mandatory. His legs would burn like crazy and he couldn't reach around his huge, almost mutilated stomach to rub them, he couldn't even get up by himself. Sasuke had to roll him out of bed each morning.

All and all, it was getting ridiculous.

"Need some help there, Naruto?" He tried a smile as her bright face peeked up around his belly while he lay back.

"Uh," He gave up. "Yeah, I really do." He wasn't made for this. This was why men should never have babies. The blonde rubbed his eyes. It was hard to sleep, too. But then he smiled a bit. Sasuke had given him a body pillow; he giggled. The raven had probably just gotten tired of Naruto bear-hugging _him_ all night.

"How nice, you're in such a good mood, Naruto!" The girl smiled, his hand still resting comfortably in hers as she led him outdoors.

"Meh. I guess." He grinned back at her. He could still look on the bright side, past the huge belly, right? Especially with Sakura doting on his every need. Hinata, too; she was just a bit shy. Even Kiba had stopped making fun of him so much after the small boy had gotten really mad and almost broke his arm.

Good times.

Only Sasuke hadn't fallen to it. If anything, he was more irritable than ever. Naruto sighed as the warm sun cut past the freezing day, heating his many layers. He couldn't fit into his training clothes anymore, or even his normal everyday clothes. Basically he just walked around in old, really loose sweatpants and lately, lots of sweaters and socks. He had too much pride for slippers though; no matter how cold he got. The boy pulled on the long sleeve of his striped undershirt to cover his cold hands as he waited for Sakura to get the hot chocolate.

Sasuke left a lot. He would go on long walks or just disappear for half the day, usually without a word. The first time it happened Naruto was almost seven months in and he nearly had a breakdown, storming out of the house then proceeding to beat the living shit out of the raven until he had to hold him down with force. Fists first, words later.

"My, you're looking pensive." Naruto glanced up at the girl, two steaming mugs in her hands as she set one down in front of Naruto.

"Yeah, a bit. Did, um…did Sasuke say where he was going this time?" Huge azure eyes couldn't hide the worry and Sakura took his hand warmly across the table, soothing cream touch and emerald eyes warming away a little of his icy concern.

"No, just that he'd be gone for a while. Don't worry, Naruto, he's just trying to get used to the situation. He'll be back soon." The boy looked down, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Stupid bastard, I don't even know why I care anymore." He huffed and she giggled. But it wasn't a joke, although Naruto smiled and went along like it was. Didn't Sasuke say he was going to change? Wait, no…a thin blush spread contagiously across scarred cheeks. No, he hadn't waited for Sasuke to answer. They'd just done it.

His thoughts flew from worry as they found a more interesting trail. They hadn't been able to do it in a while…It was too hard with Naruto's newly found belly. Maybe that's why he was so distant?

Blonde brows furrowed, no…that couldn't be it, could it?

No, Sasuke wasn't that heartless.

…

"So, Sakura, how's life been going?" Naruto tried smiling at the girl. She smiled back.

"Naruto, that's so generic it's almost insulting. What's on your mind?" Damn, didn't bite. The girl tried not to look obviously concerned, nonchalantly sipping the life-giving heat from her cup.

Naruto blushed slightly, ashamed of himself. He was such a girl.

"I-I was just thinking you'd probably be a much better partner than Sasuke." He looked at wide green eyes and smirked. "I mean, at least you're here." Then she giggled.

"Oh, please, Naruto, your flattery's lovely but I think you're just mad Sasuke's not here."

"Exactly; he's never around" the boy mumbled, more ashamed than ever for actually saying his dependency out loud. He'd never depended on anyone his entire life; why should this be any different? Why did it hurt so much every time Sasuke left?

"Oh!" Pink hair swirled as the girl got up in excitement. "I've got an idea!"

Blue eyes just looked up in surprise as the girl grinned and helped him up, one hand in his and the other wrapped to support his back.

"Let's do something for him, for when he gets back!" Naruto almost groaned. He didn't want to do something _nice_ for the bastard, he wanted to prank him…or kick his ass again. Although kicking anyone was getting harder each day as he couldn't see his legs anymore.

"What?" The girl pulled his hand excitedly as he waddled into the warm house.

"Let's make a special dinner! Oh and umm…let's see, we can make his favorites!"

Sakura barged into the kitchen, immediately pulling out supplies and shoving clanging pots and pans onto the tiny stove.

"Naruto, call Hinata for me, will you? She's the best cook."

The blonde yawned sleepily, ready for a nap but unwilling to miss out on the cook fest. He grinned slyly; there would probably be tasting involved.

"Sure, where is she?"

"Uh, I think she's upstairs with Kiba. Just call her; you shouldn't be going up stairs in your condition."

Naruto rolled his eyes. 'Condition'? Please. Firmly gripping the handle, blonde brows furrowed in determination. He would conquer these damn stairs, and they'd be begging for mercy by the time he was done. With a huff, the boy lifted his first foot to the stair, then the second, on and on until about the tenth step, where he simply had to take a break or else something would break, presumably his water.

Haha, pregnancy joke. The small boy grinned and heaved up the last two steps, feeling dizzy but accomplished as he walked a few steps, then had to stop again as blackness took over his vision. It was probably just a blackout, like when he got up too fast; the boy rested heavily against the wooden wall. His knees gave and he was out cold.

--------------------------------------------------------------

There was ice in his head.

No, that was wrong, there was ice on his head, and it was starting to burn. Naruto groaned as he reverted to consciousness, lifting a hand to inspect the reason for the ringing in his skull and grimacing when he found the sticky, raised, incredibly painful spot.

"Look- I think he's coming around." The voice was deep, slightly familiar, and a bubble of hope built up in his throat. Sasuke…? Blue eyes flicked open impatiently, then he groaned again as wild brunette hair came into view. The hope-bubble popped in an acidic burst, leaving bile rising in the blonde's esophagus. He swallowed as to not show the burning, shameful evidence of hope defeated.

"What happened?" His voice was still a croak, almost hard to understand. Cool green eyes peered into view; Sakura was angry.

"You idiot! I told you not to go up the stairs and you still do it! If you'd fallen just a few feet backwards you would've killed yourself and your babies! What if you'd landed wrong, huh?" The girl looked at him again, anger evaporating as quickly as it came, replaced by a soothing concern.

"You have to be more careful with yourself, alright? If something starts to make you feel uncomfortable, just stop, it's not a contest." The small boy nodded slowly, taking the girl's supporting hand as she helped him up. A little shock ran up the boy's spine as large, warm hands that were obviously not female supported from the back, only to be disappointed as Kiba spoke from behind him.

"You gave me a freaking heart attack, you know that? Just heard a big '_bam_' and then you on the floor, knocked out with blood in your hair. Not cool, man." Naruto chuckled despite his aching head.

"Sorry, man." For a moment they all struggled as Naruto heaved to get up, even with three pairs of hands pushing and pulling and he was at last back on his feet, dizzy for a few seconds but then feeling fine.

Sasuke didn't show up; Naruto tried not to feel sad or angry about it.

In the end, Naruto just sat on the counter in the very corner of the wide kitchen, near the stove where it was warm, watching as the girls laughed and cooked, sucking on a red lollipop and trying to control his mounting obstinacy towards a certain raven-haired lover. Checking his nails nonchalantly as he waited for the first taste-test to come his way, the boy caught sight of something. It was old now and very worn; but it was still there nonetheless.

Naruto smiled a bit; he couldn't believe he'd forgotten about it for so long. The promise. The little black rubber office ring. It was still there, and- Naruto lifted off a piece of the rubber carefully- he had a tan line now. He grinned to himself, not noticing as the girls stopped laughing to watch him giggle obliviously.

When it was time to go to sleep, and Sasuke had still not shown up, Naruto slept in Sakura's room, too upset to sleep alone. As he hugged his pillow a cool hand reached out to grab his comfortingly; Naruto mentally punched himself when his heart skipped a beat, it was small and smooth.

"Don't worry, Naruto. I'm sure he'll be here by morning." The boy buried his face in the covers, refusing to answer past the horrific lump that had caught in his throat. He would curse Sasuke out in the morning; if, that is, he came back.

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Naruto awoke cold. Not just a little cold, but dead-of-winter-with-the-heater-off cold. He shivered, smiling a bit when his breath crystallized into steam. Sakura had left already, leaving him to his own devices to get up. He rolled, he heaved, he strained, Naruto lay back, defeated for a second before opening his legs wide in Indian style and pushing himself up with the last of his strength. He smiled a bit brighter. Now that he was sitting up, things would be a lot easier.

Grabbing a blanket to throw around his shoulders for warms against the invading cold Naruto looked around for something to prop himself up.

And he froze. And he glared.

There was a sleeping figure near the doorway, a blanket tenderly placed around his shoulders, looking like he'd just spent the night worrying. Naruto bit his lip, scooting forward silently until he was face-to-face with his fitfully sleeping lover.

Leaning in close, their breathes mingling as the raven let out a sigh, Naruto raise his hand slowly, then fisted it and brought it crashing down punishingly into the pale boy's face, knocking his head hard against the back wall.

Black eyes slit open to glare fire at the blonde, who just stared repugnantly.

"Looked like you were having a nightmare." Naruto managed to get his rough voice out despite the pending rage. What a wake up.

Sasuke only glared.

"What the hell, Naruto?"

The blonde settled himself backwards as much as possible, remembering what Sakura had said about being comfortable and trying to lift some of the pressure from his stomach.

"I should be asking you that! What the hell, teme?" Blue eyes gleamed in the soft morning light, the light reflected in them anything but soft. "What happened? You're always disappearing, but this time for a whole fucking day and night!"

Sasuke only 'tched' and Naruto lost it, pulling back to try to punch the bastard again, only to have his hand caught by a large, warm ivory one. Naruto reddened, blue eyes thinning to narrow blue slivers. Scooting back a foot, the blonde took Sasuke's left hand and shoved it in the boy's face, otherwise he'd probably never remember.

Grunting, the boy slid himself to the doorway, gripping it hard to try and pull himself up, only to slide back down when the pressure became too much. He tried again and again, feeling hot tears hit the back of his eyes as frustration ate at the last of his dignity and he decided to just scoot himself away until he could call someone to help him up.

He just needed to get away, and quick, before- long ivory arms wrapped around him, picking the boy up almost effortlessly to stand him on slightly swollen feet. When they didn't let go immediately and Naruto felt the tears start to well over, he pushed at the boy, though only half-heartedly.

"Are you really so opposed to me helping you?" the satin voice hit Naruto's ears like a thunderstorm and he pulled away roughly, turning icy eyes on black.

"I wouldn't be, if you were ever there to help." And bracing himself with the last shred of dignity he had, the boy turned sharply and waddled away, hiding his weak sniffles as best he could.

Damn, he hated those hormones, even more when Sasuke didn't come running after him.

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It was nighttime already. Naruto's been ignoring/avoiding Sasuke all day, and he was exhausted. Both mentally and physically; he hadn't had the chance to nap. But, the boy grinned, dinner was right around the corner.

Sighing and looking longingly towards the kitchen, the blonde decided to look for his favorite pink-haired medic; hopefully she would have some pity on the hugely pregnant boy and give him a snack…

Naruto shuffled into the kitchen, then finding it empty, he searched the rooms; all dark. Something ominous shivered up the boy's spine as he threw on his coat and checked the courtyard. Everywhere he looked seemed empty of life. Another shiver crawled its way slimily up his spine and the boy headed for the stairwell.

He could do it this time, he was sure. One tan hand wrapped firmly to the railing, leaning back as to not put too much pressure on his stomach, Naruto heaved himself up the first step. _Very_ uncomfortable. Bracing for the next mountain, a flash of black graced his vision, warm arms wrapped around his waist, another swinging up his legs up slightly to not knock the stairs as they flew up the stairs before the blonde had a chance to give the 'protest' punch he'd thought of.

Naruto felt motion sick by the time he was put down, in the center of a dim, locked room lit only by a few hanging lamps. Dinner was spread beautifully on the low table; Naruto gaped as Sasuke wandered towards him.

"What is this? Why'd you kidnap me?!" The blonde stood in the middle of the room, trying to be angry but too tired.

Black eyes gleamed in the lamplight as the raven crossed the room to hug him tightly; Naruto tried pushing him off, but couldn't find the strength.

"I'm not forgiving you over a little dinner, you know." The tall boy only nuzzled his neck, sighing tiredly and tightening his arms.

"Mm." After a moment Naruto shifted on painfully swollen feet and Sasuke seemed to come back to life, taking the boy's hand and helping him sit, although the help was only taken grudgingly. When Sasuke sat, Naruto tried to take back his hand to have it stuck fast, gripped gently but tightly by ivory fingers.

"Tell me what the hell's going on _now_ teme." The boy's voice was acidic like his mood.

Sasuke didn't seem to notice, he was absorbed in trying to act normal. But there was something weighing heavily on his mind. Naruto took a bite, munching thoughtfully, blue eyes peering over to black.

What the hell was he doing, trying to make things easier on that bastard?

Naruto's inner grudge punched himself, but he made a slight sound of satisfaction and dove in for another big mouthful. Perceptive black eyes glinted and Sasuke got the message, eating his own meal quietly. After a few minutes, the boy's legs had gone numb and he tried to be inconspicuous as he rubbed them.

"So is this it? All you could think of to make up for being completely absent for like, two months of your kids growth?" Naruto's voice drawled, but he felt a real pang.

"No." Sasuke's satiny voice was low and quiet as they finished, he sat next to the blonde, easing him to lie back with a strong hand. Naruto shivered when he felt the boy's hot breath in his ear.

"Your legs are numb, aren't they?" Red lips brushed his cheek and Naruto fought against his better judgment about the wild fluttering in his chest.

Ivory fingers brushed his thighs, gently at first but then kneading as they worked blood back into the boy's limbs and Naruto relaxed under the firm touch, loving the sensation of life returning to his legs. When he finished, leaving Naruto fully relaxed and smiling blissfully Sasuke leant in for a slow, chaste kiss before looking at him again, then moving to the boy's swollen, aching feet wordlessly.

Naruto blushed as he held back giggles when the tall boy tickled his feet accidentally while rubbing them; was _the_ Uchiha Sasuke seriously _rubbing his feet_?! Naruto blushed harder when a laugh escaped him and he gave a little kick instinctively.

"Sorry."

Sasuke didn't say anything, just kept rubbing his feet until both ankles looked a normal size and they stopped aching.

"No, I'm sorry." The raven leant around the boy's protruding stomach to bring their faces close; Naruto could get a better reading on the emotions that passed through deep ink pools. Red lips brushed his as hot breath tickled peachy pink and Naruto quieted a gasp.

"Please forgive me?" Cool fingertips brushed blonde hair back and Naruto shivered.

"That's not fair, Sasuke." Questioning eyes smoldered blackly in the dimness and Naruto caught his breath and his fitful resolve.

"You can't just expect me to forgive you so quickly by seducing me a bit. This was a big offense." Naruto felt himself being pulled closer despite the words, hating himself for giving in so quickly. Sasuke pulled back a little and the blonde let his head back to the floor, feeling disappointed in spite of himself. Then black eyes were on deep indigo again and Sasuke compromised.

"What if I'm your pillow tonight?" Naruto thought a moment, taking in the feel of Sasuke's body heat and acting like he was mulling it over.

"For a week."

"Deal."

Naruto grinned, hugging his new pillow. Sasuke carried them back downstairs where they got ready for bed, Naruto ashamed but on his tiptoes with excitement. It was awfully cold, and it'd be nice to have a self-heating pillow…

The boy curled under the cold covers, soon joined by his favorite pillow ever, reveling in the warmth as he buried his head in the boy's broad chest, shivering as cool hands brushed his shirt up to caress his distended stomach lovingly, large hands soothing the stretched skin tenderly as the boy planted a rosy kiss on a tan forehead and Naruto sighed. Just have to look on the bright side and any conflict will evaporate.

Just before sleep overtook him, Naruto turned his face towards his sleepy lover.

"Hey, about before, what's wrong? There's something on your mind."

"Its…nothing." The low whisper came through the moonlight as Naruto glared.

"I thought we were over this?" He heard the defeated sigh above him and hid a smile.

"Can we discuss it in the morning?" Naruto yawned, opening his eyes just in time to watch his yawn become contagious and Sasuke yawned as well. He chuckled into the boy's warm neck before facing him again, his hand covering an ivory one on his stomach under the covers.

"Fine. But you have to give me your word."

"I promise. Now go to sleep."

"Mm. Goodnight."

Sasuke leant down to press their lips in a soft, butterfly producing kiss that made Naruto slightly dizzy as he smiled happily.

"Goodnight."

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Outside in the courtyard, pink hair blew in a frosty wind as the girl released the hawk into the starry night sky. The accident today had issued a complete check up, in which she had found something out. The rate of growth was increasing, meaning the nine month point could come any day. Pink hair blocked green-eyed vision and the girl turned back inside. She was prepared, but very nervous. This procedure had never before been attempted.

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Tsunade brushed back blonde hair in frustration. She was the Hokage, damn it, why didn't she have more information about the damn situation?! Kumogakure was out for blood, not waiting for Konoha to agree and send them their victim but deploying their own search squads to find the Uchiha themselves. What could she do? Either sacrifice the boy and the secret, or pull the entire village into war.

She couldn't very well put the safety and well being of all the citizens at risk, but she shouldn't give in to terrorism, either. The woman sighed. What to do, what to do… and she needed to send a back-up squad to watch the cottage, to make sure the enemy hadn't found the spot yet. Naruto has been pregnant for a while now, any big disturbances could cause the children to shift, and that could kill him. Tsunade reached into her cabinet. She'd been looking for her liquid support every night nowadays; damn brats and their never-ending problems, they were turning her into a drunk.

Something tapped at her window and the Hokage let the bird in, opening it's cartridge to reveal a code; one she deciphered quickly and chugged the entire bottle of varnish. Apparently, signs of foreign movement had been found by the anbu planted near the cottage. This was found before the two days it took for the hawk to travel. She would have to send a squad immediately.

And so the wheels begin to turn.

Tsunade dropped the bottle, laying her head in her hands in the universal sign of an incoming migraine. The weeks from hell begin now.

* * *

**(AN) hey all. So i know this chapter had a lot of little parts to it, you know the scenes separated by those annoying dots? Yeah. I'll work on making it less choppy. I'm just too tired to fix it right now.**

**Thank you so much for all your support and love with this story! It's very greatly appreceated and you are all amazing!**

**please continue to review and tell me what you think!**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	13. 13Of a Traumatic Knight's Whiskey

wow, so this update took awhile...more than usual, at least.

**13**Of a Traumatic Knight's Whiskey

* * *

The wind howled its distaste of the warm world from outside a frost-bitten window, chilling the occupant sitting just inside through to the bone. But he still didn't move, warm with liquor as he took another big sip. Hey, everyone needs a way to relax during stressful times, right?

Deidara shivered in his thick akatsuki cloak, his old one he should've gotten rid of already. The man burped and leaned forward to rest his empty head in his folded arms on the table, ignoring the dying fire behind him. He'd been staring out the same damn window for almost an entire day now. The blizzard still hadn't let up.

Was he okay, traveling so far in this? The storm had to be stretching for miles; had he already frozen and was waiting, trying to call for help? Deidara scoffed at his own stupidity; this was Uchiha Itachi he was talking about, nothing could kill that bastard but himself. And that was exactly what was about to happen.

Irritated, the blonde got up from his chair roughly, an almost completely empty bottle hanging loosely in one hand. Straight up whiskey; the good kind. Not his favorite by far, but it did the job. He took another gulp to bring the burn in his throat back to life and staggered to the dying fire, collapsing ungracefully to sit directly in front of it with a poker in one hand and the bottle still clutched in the other.

Deidara pushed at the dimly glowing embers, then, dropping his poker threw another log in the furnace. He sat there for a long time, taking big gulps of his bottle and staring into the fire.

He was more pathetic than ever.

Glazed aqua eyes looked dully at the door, then back to the fire as he swigged from the bottle again. A flushed cream face fell back as his neck became useless, resting comfortably on his shoulders as he stared at the wood-panel ceiling, mouth slightly agape between faintly trembling reddened lips. He didn't twitch when a cold wind swirled into the house, blowing in a gust of snow and a little teal-eyed boy, who shivered and slammed the door locked.

The blonde heard the soft footsteps reach him, but didn't react, just kept staring blankly at the ceiling as the boy inspected the bottle.

"Your drunk, aren't you?" The boy sighed, sitting next to him. "What are you doing?"

Deidara just sat, huge aqua eyes taking in every blurry crevice in the wood.

"I found him." The blonde whirled to stare at the boy, still not speaking. Truthfully, he couldn't; afraid his voice would crack past the huge lump that had forced its way into his throat.

"Do you know what he said when I told him it was his brother that was in danger?" Teal eyes glowed as the boy glared into the flames.

"He said that Itachi was dead. And that if he still was, in fact, alive, and everything I said was true, then he couldn't do anything about it anyways."

The boy rested a small hand on the man's knee, only to have it brushed off roughly. He continued, unwavering in spite of the crushing words that spewed from his lips and Deidara fought harder than ever against the lump.

"But, you know what else he said? He said that the only reason he couldn't go was that he had to stay to protect something. He said he had to protect his love and his family. And that" Large teal eyes turned to face Deidara "if you were a real man, you would do the same."

With that, the boy got up and walked to his room, shutting the door with a decisive thud.

Deidara chugged the rest of the bottle, collapsing onto his back when the excess of alcohol began to take effect and the ceiling began to blacken. The empty bottle rolled from his paralyzed fingers.

He wanted to go, he wanted to chase him. But after their last fight, his pride just wouldn't let him. Because he didn't need the bastard. He didn't need anyone.

_Itachi, ya damn bastard…_

---------------The night before------------------

Deidara slammed the door behind him, clenching gnashing palms, wanting more than ever to make something blow into millions, no, billions of tiny pieces that would never, ever find their way back to each other. He wanted to see the savage beauty of explosive art, sleek and clean into fire and billowing, suffocating smoke. He didn't need the bastard; all he needed was his art and the sky. That was all.

Creamy fingers pulled at the ends of his hair and the man walked to sit at the edge of his bed, rubbing his now sore throat and looking out the window at the night sky. They'd spent the day yelling. Well, he'd spent the day yelling, Itachi took his insults and tantrums with an endless patience that just made things worse. Deidara reached for some clay, normal clay to sculpt, but without inspiration tossed it aside. His inspiration was gone, and with it his skill.

Why was he so irritated by this? He'd wanted Itachi dead since the first time they met. But… he hadn't really known him then. Still, he shouldn't care. He just shouldn't. He should be out, on his own, making his art like before he was 'convinced' to join Akatsuki. He should be focusing on his art and himself. Aqua eyes closed and the blonde fell back to lie on his bed in the silver moonlight.

Should, should, should- _want_; what did he _want_? Before thoughts could form images flashed; raven's-wing lashes, silk moonlit blackness soft to the touch, cut features with lines unlike any of the best art; tender, low voice to relax tense muscles, patience to last a lifetime.

A warm smile to make his heart jump into his throat. Deidara groaned. Why was it always like this?

He didn't need anyone but himself; anything he wanted would go away soon enough. The blonde ran soothing fingers through his hair, looking out the window. What the hell was he doing, staying here? He should be gone, un-caged and free from Akatsuki at last. A low knock at the door made his heart jump and the man didn't turn, staying frozen and wishing he would just go away. He wished he could sprout wings and fly from the window.

He probably could if he started molding now. He could get away from everything, including those sightless, closed eyes that stared through him now from behind.

He wouldn't resist in the slightest; that much was already clear.

The soft voice leaning on the doorway sent tiny shivers down the man's spine; Itachi couldn't have noticed.

"When do you think Yoh will be returning?" Deidara turned against his own wishes and the voice of logic that told him to jump out the window now and save himself the pain of even one last conversation.

"Ya think I know, un? Little brat just took off; it's not like I'm his goddamned father, I don't give a fuck, hm." Itachi sighed like his patience was weaning the tiniest bit. Deidara pressed on, hoping that patience would run out already and reveal the true, ardent side of the stoic raven.

"Aren't you leavin' tomorrow anyways? Whadda you care?" Itachi sighed again, pushing gently from the door frame.

"Of course I care, Deidara."

"Like hell ya do, un." The blonde twirled a golden flax lock nonchalantly. He was digging himself deeper, and he knew it. But he couldn't stop the words from coming out.

"The hell're ya doin' here anyways, huh?"

"Saying my farewell." Something hard punched Deidara in the gut; or so it felt as his heart wrenched in unnatural ways.

"Ya can do that tomorrow before ya leave, hm. Don't bother me now if it ain't important, ya selfish bastard." The venomous words came out despite the blonde's real ache. But that wasn't the point. He didn't need the bastard.

The Uchiha just smiled lightly and the man felt his damned heart soar, beating like a hummingbird's wings behind his grimace and generally poisonous aura. The man sat on the edge of the bed, wanting to do very violent things but at the same time wanting something very different. The pounding blood from his throbbing heart flushed his face the slightest as Itachi walked a little forward.

He had started doing things on his own about a few weeks before. Like, when Deidara was otherwise occupied he would sneak caresses, once a kiss, but always at the price of the blonde's explosive fury afterwards.

Once he had held his hand. It had happened after Itachi had helped him into the higher branches of a tree from the waterfall's aquatic grip; he'd pulled him up effortlessly and didn't let go of his hand. It was only after a few minutes of allowing himself the small pleasure that Deidara shook him off and attacked.

The blonde barely had time to steel himself and wrap a protective shield around his heart as reddened lips brushed his, large warm hand cupping his cheek as their lips intertwined slowly in intricate, fire-flushing patterns.

The man could barely hold himself together when Itachi gently pushed him backwards, taking dominance without a word through tender touches. When the raven gripped his leg, wrapping it around a slim waist Deidara let go of the crushed shield and gave up, letting himself be pulled by those firm, soothing kisses and warm fingertips.

That morning Deidara woke up before Itachi for once, keeping his breathing steady and his heart calm as if he was still asleep the blonde waited until the raven woke up. When he did, Deidara had to use his shinobi training to keep his heart still as the man brushed his features lightly, fingers running along every line, brushing long eyelashes, warm cheeks and pink lips. The man pulled close, pressing their lips together and smiling lightly.

Deidara kept his heart in line, even as the Uchiha whispered in a low, sultry voice something the man wouldn't ever forget, that would torment him for forever, most likely.

Deidara stayed in bed, pretending to be asleep even as the raven haired man walked to the doorway, smiling back at him as if he knew he was awake; he stayed still even as Itachi left, walking confidently towards his death, leaving a blonde laying naked in a bed of sunshine with his heart beating out of his chest and a mouthful of curses.

--------The Present----------------

Deidara reached for another bottle, staggering over a chair to brush the last one before retrieving it and crawling back to the fireplace, where he sat for countless hours, drinking away the memories and last surviving and damn annoying brain cells.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black eyes burned holes in the wood next to an almost nervous looking blonde lover.

"Sasuke, you've been staring for like, hours now. What the hell's so interesting about the wood?" Naruto reached a warm tan hand to gasp his own and Sasuke almost jumped at the sudden, unexpected contact.

"Okay, now tell me what's going on." The familiar husky voice had changed from simply bored and interested to a command. The raven turned to blue eyes blankly.

"What's bothering you already? You said you'd tell me last night, so what is it?"

Sasuke stared for a second, debating. What would he think; that he would go run off on him to attempt an impossible rescue of his brother? No, Sasuke shook his head and took a deep breath. He was done running from his blonde. Gripping the boy's fingers tighter, Sasuke looked into pools of sky.

"My brother is still alive." The fox boy froze, fingers stiffened in his grasp as he stared at black. Sasuke could see the entire though process through blue mirrors and the conclusion made him frown. Azure eyes tried to mask the overwhelming worry and almost instant hurt at reliving old scars with faded, half-hearted attempt at being expressionless.

"He's still alive, and he's about to go kill himself. For my sake, apparently."

"Then what are we still doing here?" Sasuke stared incredulously at the boy, who almost sparkled with determination like fireworks, already standing to go.

"Are you that stupid, dumbass; how the hell do you expect to go…_anywhere_?" Naruto pouted, glaring at the raven.

"Well you can't just let him do that! We got to go save him, or else who will?"

"Naruto, you're almost full term; the children could come any day now!"

"Oh please, don't be so dramatic; I'll be fine! It's not like they can just pop out of me."

"No, but I'm sure they can rip out of you."

The blonde rolled his eyes "Oh yeah they can, with their giant, beast-like claws."

"Dobe, be serious." Sasuke picked his head up slightly from its resting place, cradled in his hands.

"I am. We can make it; where's he going?"

Sasuke sighed heavily. "Kumogakure."

"Wow. That's like, five days away…"

"Yes, yes it is."

"Okay…"

"You still want to go?" The raven leered, unable to help himself at the boy's antics.

"Yes!" Naruto beamed, standing carefully with both hands wrapped around his huge stomach.

Sasuke slapped his forehead, smirking for real despite the situation and the incessant concern that plagued him. He shouldn't be worried; the other person would step up…hopefully. If not, then… Sasuke put his head back into his hands, surprised when warm arms cradled him from behind, a low, husky voice sending soothing shivers down the ivory boy's spine.

"Don't worry. Everything will be okay; I promise."

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The wind screamed in protest, but the man kept walking, trudging through the snow drifts. He shivered, but kept going; the storm would have to end somewhere, and he'd already been walking quickly for a day and a half.

Only his impeccable shinobi senses and perfect sense of direction kept him from getting lost in the darkness of his colorless, lightless world. Only faded memories of his dear little brother's smiling face, the face before all the hatred kept him trudging. Only the recent memories of warm nights and days with a head resting on his chest, warming and soothing him kept him from freezing at the winters' tugging chill. Itachi walked on.

He had to do this; not only for his brother, but for himself. Life had lost its meaning after he 'died'. His mission was complete. He was ready. The raven marched on. It was time to release him from the horrors of his past life.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto lay on his side on a low couch, trying to get a quick nap in before everyone came back to make dinner. Like only in the pit of winter the sun had fallen early, leaving the world stained with an inky night. Sakura had gone for herbs to the little garden, Sasuke for firewood, and Kiba and Hinata were upstairs, doing whatever the hell they did. The blonde huffed, flipping up one golden bang in the moonlight to flop back to his nose. Sasuke had been gone for hours, all for some stupid firewood.

This was boring. He wanted some action, something actually _interesting_ to happen for once.

Rolling from the couch, the little blonde wobbled around his awkward weight until gravity settled and he stretched; tiptoes, yawning, arms as high as they go with wriggling fingertips stretch that loosened some of the kinks in his stomach. They had been kicking recently, each blow felt like a tiny punch in the gut. Well, kick in the gut.

The blonde settled backwards to lessen the strain on his lower back, which had been aching unpleasantly all the damn time. Waddling forward to the kitchen, the boy opened the nearly empty fridge for something good and coming up with a carton of milk. Licking peachy pink lips the blonde opened the top, reaching back to pull a knife from the drawer, flinging it forward and up to drive into the moving shadow's gut.

As it writhed on the ground, blood pooling to mix with spilt milk to form a thick creamy red fluid that swirled unhurriedly. Blue eyes glinted as the boy reached for another knife.

Fuck, all his real weapons were upstairs….damn those stairs.

He'd asked for action, but- the boy sent another knife flying into another shadow's back, then grabbing an array of possible weapons to arm himself with- but this was just a bit…Naruto slammed against the wall, hiding as three others advanced on the kitchen, tossing the last of his knives, the boy managed to catch one in the shoulder, the other two dodged easily…harsh. Obviously they were half decent fighters.

As the other two leapt forward, the boy released ten clones, who, already standing up, lifted him to his feet while others kept off the attackers. Keeping two as a guard, the boy and his clones waddled away as quickly as possible, using the shadow clones as shields when the others were defeated. Who could be attacking them?! How did they find the cottage? The blonde ducked into a room, hiding inside the closet. He couldn't fight them like this, with his body so vulnerable. The boy bit his lip in frustration as the shadowy figures crept into the room, a bead of sweat dripping into his shirt.

Where were Kiba and Hinata? And Sasuke? Sakura? Were they all under attack as well? The figures didn't seem to have symbols representing a village, could they be rogues?

The blonde took a tiny, soundless breath as the shadows retreated back into the hallway, then caught his breath as glass shattered on the floor above, a shout and barking as Kiba and Akamaru followed three distinct blurs out into the forest. The sounds of a struggle continued upstairs in the old, creaky house. The boy held his air and crept to look out, heart beating soundlessly into his throat, rushing adrenaline through his system as blue eyes peeked outside. There were two directly outside, another in the kitchen. Hinata was fighting off two upstairs while Kiba chased another three…That made eight known and whoever Sakura and Sasuke were fighting unknown. If, that is, they were even fighting anyone.

Outside something huge shook the earth, several trees groaning to their death and the old house creaking its complaint. So Sakura was fighting. Naruto shuddered for the poor souls who received her wrath. But there was still no sign of Sasuke, and he'd been gone for almost the entire day. Could they have picked him off early? Or… the blonde shook his head, clearing it of the suspicious thoughts. Sasuke wouldn't do that _again_. If he did, Naruto wasn't entirely sure he could forgive him. Not while the situation was this desperate.

The boy turned his giant grill fork in one sweaty palm, gritting his teeth and looking for a way out. He should trust Sasuke now and worry about himself and his unborn babies. He needed to get to someone, or get somewhere his friends would know of that could hide him from the enemy. Blue eyes sparked; he absolutely hated running away, but he loved his children more, and wouldn't put them through that sort of risk.

The boy peeked out again, now there was only one outside; the other must've gone to search elsewhere-

A hard foot connected with the boy's slim back, throwing him forward and into the wall hard, cracking the drywall as the boy turned last minute to avoid his stomach. Naruto could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he whirled to parry another hard blow with his fork, breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought around his stomach.

At another punishing blow intended at his stomach the boy swerved, catching it on his side instead. The bastards were actually _aiming_ at his swollen belly. The boy winced at the pain that shot through his torso at the blow and jammed his makeshift weapon into his attacker's shoulder, near enough to the neck to make him collapse so the small boy could get away, giving the dark-clad figure a good kick in the stomach for good measure.

Naruto waddled as fast as he could through the hallway, knocking over another surprised attacker with a whack of his metal fork and a little extra strength. The boy turned into his and Sasuke's room, locking the door and going to the window.

Maybe he could jump out and escape that way… loud bangs cracked the wood of the door, sending drops of stressful sweat into the boy's shirt as he panted. A sharp pain in his stomach echoed through peaked nerves; had one of those bastards gotten him in the stomach and he didn't notice?

The door crashed light and the boy cut the thought, huffing and lifting himself to the window, where he took a deep breath, and, gathering all his shinobi training leapt off the sill into the murky night undergrowth below. Landing on his feet from the roughly five foot drop the boy hissed in pain as his stomach was squeezed, collapsing in a tight ball as whatever wound was issued before acted up, sending cramping waves of a paralyzing pain shooting violently through abused, stressed nerves. He could've sworn he'd blocked them all.

A crash above reminded him that he wasn't alone, but only too late as several dark shadows flashed lithely into view. The blonde, still unable to walk or even get to his feet in blinding pain scrambled backwards to press against the wall. Where the hell was everyone? Where was Sasuke?

The boy couldn't hold back the low whine his throat forced out as another searing storm of pain arced from his stomach to slither into his limbs, making it hard to even hold his only weapon. Blue eyes glazed over as his vision faded and he panted, sweat soaking his t-shirt and dripping into his eyes as the shadows inched closer.

He couldn't pass out now, not even for a second or he'd be dead along with his kids. No, the boy forced his vision as clear as possible, bracing himself for the next wave. What was going on? Where was Sasuke?

As the pain reached its climax, the boy clenched his teeth as he watched the figures move in a flash. He couldn't hold back the scream that ripped his throat when the shelling, cutting fire tore at his stomach, his sides; his entire body.

Already glazed azure eyes widened as his body tried to absorb the shock when the first blow came to his head, then the world faded into the next gale of fiery pain and a soothing blackness.

* * *

**(AN) oh snap.**

**it's been fun guys, but the end is nye.**

**btw! I'm thinking of becoming a beta-er! (yay) If you didn't realize it before, all my stories are all unbetaed. ****So do you think i have the grammatical abilities to help someone else improve their stories?**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	14. 14Of Release and Maturity's Courage

And without delay:

On With the Show!

**14**Of an Ecstatic Suicide and Maturity's Courage

* * *

Hearing the sickening crunch at last with a disgusted snort, the raven stooped to check out his latest adversary. He'd already defeated at least three, dragging the bodies to a safe spot where they wouldn't get out and checking them for tags.

Nothing. All were unknown, new faces; all wore nothing that tied them to any group, village or guard. But this one…something slivery glinted in the moonlight and onyx eyes widened. It was! Kumogakure. But then, what was Itachi dying for if Kumogakure already knew he was here? For nothing. His possible sacrifice would be for nothing. Sasuke's heart tightened.

He was a good two miles out from the cabin, thinking. Well, thinking and walking suspiciously in the direction he would have taken if he went to Kumogakure now. He still could. He could deal with the whole situation describing his brother now and have it all over and done with at last.

But then Naruto would surely know that he'd been gone. He wouldn't leave his blonde again, even if his brother was still alive and that brat hadn't just been spouting shit. It was all fifty-fifty. The raven jumped into the high branched of the tree, resting on his haunches as he scanned the forest for possible signs of recent movement. It seemed the forest, once crawling with attackers, had emptied. They'd all retreated. Or had they…? It was strange for them to all just disappear all of the sudden.

Unless there was some other motive? Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Damn politicians complicating everything all the time. Damn Itachi coming back to haunt him. Damn everything. The raven sighed, just as he heard a croak in the woods behind him. Was it that kid again? What more did he want? Sasuke's already given him the best possible answer he could come up with.

The boy stood, turning to head back the forest as a cry of pure, undiluted pain pierced the unnaturally still night air. Red sharingan eyes already spinning, Sasuke felt an earth shattering grip in his chest, squeezing the life from each and every vein until the boy gasped slightly, instantly flashing away. It couldn't be…Where was Naruto?

With Sakura a forgotten earthquake in the woods and Kiba a snarling memory, then what had happened to Naruto? Who was with him? Some damn guards Konoha could produce. Sasuke bit his lip, driving his legs faster past the dull, acidic pain of straining muscles.

He had to find Naruto, he had to find him and protect him. The raven had assumed that the woods were the attacker's target, not the house in particular, or even then that at least one of Naruto's idiotic friends would be there to protect him. His hopes lay in Hinata, but at the girl's skill level, it was unlikely.

Another groaning cry had him sweating as the Uchiha scrambled desperately past the tree line and flashing through the clearing to view the house. The only thing visible in the bright sliver moonlight was a cluster of black attackers, one on guard, one down and another struggling with what appeared to be a bloody mop of what was once golden colored hair.

Something shredded loudly in the boy's chest, sending a numbing, deafening buzz into his ears and a rush of adrenaline into his limbs and spinning, demonically glowing eyes as he charged forward. They were hurting him.

They were hurting his beautiful, obviously and heavily pregnant Naruto. He sent a slightly unnecessary amount of kunai into the two that were still alive. Whooshing past the blood-spurting bodies the boy reached his blonde, gripping him tightly as the boy heaved and collapsed. Sasuke held back a ragged breath as he surveyed the damage. Several head wounds, a few shallow looking cuts and many, many bruises. Fury flared in his viens.

"S-Sasuke?" Naruto looked up at him through pain-clouded blue eyes, tan fingers crushing the pale boy's arm as another wave seemed to arc violently through the small boy's body and those eyes closed, squeezing in pain as a low, guttural groan released the excess stress.

"Wh-where the h-hell have you b-" The word trailed off into a whine as the boy panted harder, sweat trickling down his marred, bloody cheek and something moved under Sasuke's other hand.

Naruto's stomach. Was _moving_.

It was practically churning; the boy held him tighter as the children inside him tried to get out, and with the sharingan's spin, Sasuke could tell they were being helped by a glowing red shield that sprouted tentacles that clawed at the boy's skin. It was time.

Oh, fuck, it was _time_!

"Teme! Get your s-ah!" The blonde clenched his teeth as another contraction came "S-self together and get me the fuck inside, idiot!"

Sasuke turned black eyes towards his blonde and nodded once, picking the boy up as gently as he could possibly manage, wincing every time he groaned or whined in pain.

The raven stopped as he reached the living room, setting the boy down carefully, propped up against the couch, back to a pillow of cushions. He could hear his heart in his throat as he lit a few sparse candles to see by. Naruto whimpered pathetically again and something crawled heavily down Sasuke's spine.

He didn't know how to do this. He didn't know what to do or say or feel or act. Where was Sakura when he actually needed her?!

The raven turned back to his lover, gently gripping the boy's hand as biting blue eyes, already glazed with tears and pain, reached his. He was scared. Naruto was scared. Naruto was never scared. And that sent nerves shooting up and down the pale boy's body.

He wasn't afraid. Uchiha's were never really afraid. He wasn't nervous, either; Uchiha's were never nervous. Neither were they ever surprised or intimidated or blushing or humiliated.

Naruto had introduced Sasuke to each one of those emotions. Now this. Sasuke grimaced but held on tighter to the heaving blonde, eyes looking a bit more desperate. He would live. Naruto would live; but if he was going to survive, the babies needed to get out. Now.

Sasuke kissed a sweating blonde forehead and looked towards the woods, sending a silent prayer for Sakura to come soon. Black eyes then turned slowly to reach blue.

His eyes were so steady now. In a few seconds something had changed and now they were so sure, unwavering at anything the world could possibly throw him. Sasuke felt the boy's warm, pleading gaze and shuddered.

"Do it." The blonde held out his hand, inside was a glossy black kunai.

"No." Sasuke kept his voice cool. Even the though gave him shivers. He was a coward. He was a child. He was immature. He wasn't ready to be a father if he couldn't even do this. So be it. He wouldn't, no, he _couldn't_ hurt Naruto.

He wasn't ready to be a father. Naruto was so brave, always looking straight ahead. Sasuke was always looking back, at the unchangeable past. He wasn't good enough to be a father.

"_Now_, Sasuke. Please; don't make it harder, just-"

"No!"Sasuke interrupted the boy before he could finish.

Naruto arched inwards, holding his squirming stomach with shaking fingers; Sasuke grit his teeth. It would be way too dangerous, he had no training other than what Sakura and Hinata had told them all. And that was practically nothing. Naruto was so brave. He was a coward.

"Do it or I will!" flashing blue eyes met black for a shuddering second and Sasuke was released from panic, only to be overwhelmed once again as Naruto turned away and placed the razor edge to his own skin. Sasuke took a deep breath and wrapped pale fingers around tan. His hand shook, but it was controllable.

The raven ripped off his shirt and handed half of it to the boy in a tightly twisted branch, which the blonde quickly clenched between sharp teeth to take most of the pain. The other half the boy placed under Naruto's spread legs.

Kneeling between the boy's thighs, one hand holding his blonde's and the other steadily on the knife, pressed gently to the boy's bare stomach Sasuke looked up. He breathed. They could do this. Naruto's face twisted in pain once again and Sasuke searched blue eyes one last time.

If he was going to be a real father, one good enough to match Naruto, then he needed to be strong. He needed to be there for his new family, the immovable stone that would constantly support and break the howling wind for the others. He needed to be brave like Naruto.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes; because he was going to be a father, and a good one at that, damnnit.

"Are you ready?"

Sweat and blood matted blonde hair barely shook as Naruto nodded once.

And the screams began.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breathe.

Breathe.

Breathe.

He was running. No, sprinting. He was sprinting full speed through the treetops, forcing himself not to wince as the dappled sunlight hit his sore eyes, worsening his migraine. He had the worst hangover _ever_; but what did he expect after three solid days of nothing but hard liquor? Most would be dead. But he was running. He was chasing.

Deidara focused harder on making his jumps faster and longer instead of cowering in a dark corner like he wanted, leaping from branch to branch with a lithe agility that came from years of practice. A clay bird would probably be faster, but he had decided to start running while he was half drunk, like an idiot, and had therefore forgotten most of his clay. The rest would have to be saved for the still non-existent rescue plan.

Yes.

He was going to drag that damn stupid bastard Uchiha back and beat the living shit out of him himself. See if he _really_ wanted to die after Deidara was done with him. Then, if the asshole was still breathing, which there was a large chance he wouldn't be, then and only then would Deidara do…something. He hadn't really figured things out past the shit-beating. He had been too drunk in the beginning, and now his head hurt too much to do anything more that maintain a relative sense of direction.

If this non-existent plan worked out the blonde would swear off whiskey.

No, that was a lie. But still.

Now, Itachi would have been slowed down by the blizzard a few days ago, meaning the raven still had another good three days before reaching the village. That meant Deidara had three days to complete the entire five day journey. Without his clay birds.

The world is cruel.

Deidara grunted and leapt on. Their own personal little brat had decided that if Deidara was going to become a drunk, he was going back to his uncle's cabin to relay Itachi's certain death. So he was on his way now to meet his loving, supportive, generally more pleasant family to say his old one just got broken apart.

Yeah right. The little shit just didn't know how good he had it; Deidara had just decided on a whim to pick him up off the street of some nameless tiny village in the Rain Country as he and Itachi traveled to find a new home. They'd given him a name and food and some goddamn self-respect.

So when Deidara decided to take a few days off to do some self realization and spend some quality time with a few bottles of booze the ungrateful kid runs off on his own. See where kindness gets people.

That's why Deidara was going to turn a new leaf. Instead of just ignoring pathetic beggars on the sides of the streets he would, even if they're children, blow them _all_ out of their misery instead of just the odd few now and again.

He would show no mercy to Itachi, none at all. He might even go off on his own after saving the bastard. That was it. He would save him, make sure he didn't attempt suicide again, and then fly off on the first wind strong enough.

He would dissolve the damn world into an artistic, explosive anarchy. It would be perfect.

But first comes saving the bastard. Everything else comes second. Dei charged through the trees at, if possible, an even faster speed; something indescribable pushing him on.

No, that was a lie too. He knew exactly what was pushing him on. It was something unspeakable, unimaginable, unutterable shoving him forward violently and uncomfortably. That sounded more like it.

Aqua eyes blinked rapidly to get rid of the colorful stain that appeared when a stray beam of pure sunlight hit his poor, unprotected eyes.

He leapt on as his migraine lowered in intensity to a simple, constant irritation and the sun went down in a backdrop of stoned colors. He kept running as the stars came out of hiding and the snowy owls hooted from the branches around the blonde, resisting the urge at all times to use a bit of clay to shut them the hell up. It sounded almost as if the owls themselves were asking him in disbelief.

"You're going so far for _who_? _Who_?"

Deidara bit his lip. _Uchiha Itachi_.

"_Who_? _Who_?"

_**Uchiha Itachi**_. _Now shut up!_

"You're compromising your future freedom for _who_? _Who?"_

That bastard Itachi. Deidara licked his lips. He didn't want to be reminded of his stupidity, but _again_, he was brainless and didn't waste the precious clay on making those nosey owls die horrible, gruesome deaths. He couldn't waste it; something equally horrible had him saving it. Someone, actually.

Some cold-hearted bastard asshole that he hated.

"_Who? Who-oo?"_

The blonde hated himself even more for the shivers just the barely whispered name gave him, the quickening of his heart at the thought and the pleasure of speaking those mere syllables.

"_Uchiha. Itachi_." He had it bad. Very, very, very bad.

He was pathetic.

But he kept running, kept sprinting, kept chasing. The moon inched higher in the sky until it broke the surface of the earth's visible horizon, sending rippling waves of newly tinted color across the tapestry sky.

Aqua eyes first reflected the gray of the earliest dawn, unusually dark lashes gathering droplets of mist along with golden locks, cream skin looking snowy tainted with two light pink spots of exertion over handsome features. He was concentrating. He had to make it. He ran for three days, never quite catching up to his raven. Itachi had to know he was there, chasing him like an idiot.

-----------------------------------------

Deidara leaned back, resting a bit after thoroughly searching the entire teahouse compound.

No sign, no word on the street. He couldn't find out where the bastard was being held. Kumogakure should be famous for having tight lips.

The blonde rubbed the bark of the thick tree branch he was straddling as he thought, eyes closed and brow furrowed as he rested against the tree trunk. He would have to wait for the public execution. It was supposed to be this afternoon, but he was still a few miles out. When was 'this afternoon' exactly, anyways? Dumb shit of a source.

Opening clear green-blue eyes the man stood on his branch to leave. Only a few more miles. He hadn't slept in three or four days, depending on when he'd passed out from alcohol poisoning. The past few days were a blur.

He took a breath and jumped forward, on the chase once again. It was already past midday by the time he got to the outskirts of the village. The streets were empty of life, only the occasional man or woman running. They all ran in the same direction. Probably the execution.

Deidara stepped forward carefully to claim his fate. It wasn't too late to run now. It wasn't too late to keep living for himself and himself alone. No one else would ever get in and cause such havoc.

He charged forward, tugged by that violent, uncomfortable, unspeakable, unimaginable expression of overactive hormones.

The platform was massive, even bigger was the crowds that flocked to the base of the structure like drooling hogs at feeding time, but these swine salivated only for blood. They dripped foam only for the excitement of red-black blood collecting, staining wood with a scent like copper and rot. Deidara shifted his eyes towards the platform, where a man knelt. He couldn't see; he was too far out.

The rectangle shaped Center was vast, the stage on one end and the blonde at the very edge of the other. It was at least a half mile away. Cream fingers dug in the pocket of his nondescript black cloak, pulling out his invention and attaching it to his left eye. The tiny camera zoomed and the blonde grit his teeth. It was an Uchiha alright, but the form was of Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke knelt, expressionless in front of the roaring, whispering, shifting crowd. Perfectly functional black eyes gleamed as he searched the faces of the crowd.

It was an immaculate ruse, but a fake nonetheless. He just had a feeling. It was the same slightly sick, slightly anxious burning hot feeling he got every time he was around the other man. Many called it the butterflies; Deidara called it a genetic disease he'd had since birth that nothing but something in Itachi's general demeanor aggravated. Aqua eyes widened as the first executioner raised his sword. He was still a half mile away. Ebon eyes seemed to stare right at him, even so far away. He wasn't going to make it.

Itachi was going to die. Deidara set his pre-prepared molding free, climbing on the giant bird's back and ordering it to send an explosive to kill the executioner. Deidara could hear his heart _ba-thump_, _ba-thump_, _ba-thump_ing in his chest, his ears, his fingertips as the sword reached its target and the great wings of his bird unsettled the airy screams from below.

The lens in his left eye zoomed in as his bird charged forward, killing all in its path, civilian and shinobi alike as intense aqua eyes bore into the sight ahead. Five hundred yards to go; the executioner was a pile of ravaged limbs and pooling blood.

He was going to make it. He was going to make it.

Deidara felt the joy explode in little fireworks in his fluttering chest already.

Then he was staring into lifeless black eyes.

A severed head.

Another executioner had survived the blast.

A severed head resting in pooling garnet blood.

Itachi's head. The face was different, but it had been him.

He was too late.

He was dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Gone.

A severed head.

Deidara landed his bird, ignoring the commotion behind him as the people screamed and fled. They were so annoying. He should kill them all.

He should cut off their heads.

Deidara released one hundred microscopic wasps into the most sensitive parts of the murderer, focusing on his wild, ugly eyes.

"Katsu."

It was a whisper, like so many other things. The man's gurgled screams faded into white noise as Deidara brought himself to look at the body. It was unfamiliar. The face was unfamiliar.

Deidara threw up over the edge of the stage.

He was numb. The shrieking continued and a kunai whizzed past his head as the village retaliated. No, there were too many for a mere retaliation; it was a trap. But they hadn't meant for Deidara to be there.

Those people were so annoying. They should just die. No, they shouldn't _just _die, they should die screaming, watching as Deidara himself used a blunt knife to saw off their heads. One by one.

But that wasn't fast enough. Maybe he would just incinerate them all to death. Sounded good. He would use the only weapon in his endless arsenal that could possibly consume the entire village. He didn't even use it on the real Sasuke.

Stupid Itachi, saying such things. Damn Itachi, doing such things. Stupid damn Deidara, feeling such things.

The blonde man dodged another few kunai, letting his creations take on the attacking legion of furious home-town shinobi. He stripped slowly, as the explosions went on soundlessly around him in a scary quiet numbness. Like the calm before the storm of fire and smoke. He didn't feel free. He didn't feel that sad, even.

He felt lonely. A crushing, endless loneliness for just one person. Everyone else in the world should have died. The one person who was supposed to live a long, happy rest of his life had died and the rest of these fuckers were still breathing. He felt angry.

He would make them all stop breathing, even if it killed him. Deidara pulled off his shirt, undoing the stitches over his chest.

This creation would be fed by his heart; his aching, throbbing, stuttering heart. It would be fed by his hands; his hands that felt, his hands that created, his hands that killed. It would be fed by his mouth; his tongue that cursed, his teeth that bit, his lips that kissed.

Swallow all that clay at the same time and what do you have?

Ecstasy in sweet release.

"Katsu!"

* * *

**(AN) So yeah, sorry there wasn't much Sasu Naru action in this chapter, i tried to fill it as much as possible, but in the end i could only write so much before getting into next chapter's material.**

**btw. i became a beta! idk if my 'connections' thingy is working, but if you would like me to beta your stuff than feel free to e-mail me or something if it isn't. I really have to inform the creator people about this...soon. X/**

**thanks for all the reviews and remember, i am motivated by love. *hinthint**

**lol**

**Naruto Spoilers:**

holy shit! i've totally come to a really weird suspicion- what if Uchiha Madara and Danzo are actually one in the same!

It almost makes sense when you think about it; Tobi's mask over only one sharingan eye, which _just so happens _to be the same eye danzo had covered, which we already discovered is a freaking_ sharingan_? And the hair! and the eye shape! And the freaky super-powerfull-ness! _And_ the fact that both Uchiha Madara and Danzo have been trying to take control of Konoha for, like, _ever_!

it's just too weird. But just listen to me, I'm ranting. lol

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	15. 15Of Desperate Needs and Desperate Cases

yay im back! not too long of a break, thank goodness.

Thanks to all who gave me support, although i still remain incarcerated in my own home. lol

enjoy!

**15**Of Desperate Needs and Desperate Cases

* * *

"_Do it or I will!"_

_Flashing blue eyes met black for a shuddering second and Sasuke was released from panic, only to be overwhelmed once again as Naruto turned away and placed the razor edge to his own skin. Sasuke took a deep breath and wrapped pale fingers around tan. His hand shook, but it was controllable. _

_If he was going to be a real father, one good enough to match Naruto, then he needed to be strong. He needed to be there for his new family, the immovable stone that would constantly support and break the howling wind for the others. He needed to be brave like Naruto._

_Sasuke narrowed his eyes; because he was going to be a father and a good one at that, damnnit. _

"_Are you ready?"_

Sweat and blood matted blonde hair barely shook as Naruto nodded once. Sasuke held his breath as he felt the sickening moment where sharp metal pierced stretched flesh, struggling to concentrate as Naruto grunted and clenched his fingers with a vise-like grip around Sasuke's. Sasuke blinked, clearing precise black eyes to make sure he didn't mess up. He couldn't mess up.

When the blade was nearly a fourth of an inch in, the raven pulled down, slitting the skin open in the form Sakura had taught them, a C-section. He couldn't look at Naruto in the eyes, afraid. Yes, he was very afraid. If it weren't for the absolute need for steady hands, he would be fucking _paralyzed_. Sasuke swallowed as Naruto broke one of his fingers. His pain was nothing compared to Naruto's. Against all better judgment ebon eyes flashed up to his lover. Naruto was panting, face twisted into a mask of pure pain as sharp teeth ripped into the dirty white cloth of his shirt. Sasuke cut as gently as possible through the remaining membrane, letting out a small rush of almost pinkish fluid. The boy was sweating, fighting against both the pain of Sasuke's digging kunai and the repetitive contractions as the children violently announced their arrival.

He hated them. Sasuke barely felt another droplet of sweat bead down his straining neck as he finished the incision. He hated them. He couldn't help it; they were making Naruto suffer like this. He hated himself; it was his fault in the first place. He should've gotten rid of the parasites when he had the chance. This wasn't worth it. Sasuke flicked another pained, worried gaze at his lover, who was whining a muffled scream.

His heart stuttered and the raven shook sweat-matted silk hair to clear his thoughts. Focus, all he needed was focus. Gathering the blankets and warm water he'd previously scourged the boy took deep breaths.

"H-Hurry, Sasuke. Just do it." Naruto was breathing hard, the words a breathless whisper, blue eyes looking more unfocused and duller than ever. Something pulled in Sasuke's chest, making him wince.

"It's almost over, Naruto. Just hang on."

The blonde smiled and winced at the same time at Sasuke's unusual concern but he didn't mind. As long as the boy was alright. But that wouldn't last long with the rate he was losing blood. It dripped from the gash in thick garnet rivers that pooled and darkened the shirt and cushions, staining the wood floor below them. He could do this. He could do this.

Sasuke gathered the small kit he'd prepared, practically dipping his hands up to his elbows in disinfectant alcohol, effectively cleaning them. He ignored the faint burns that festered the cuts. Furrowing black brows, with one last supportive squeeze of his beautiful dobe's hand, he dipped long, pale fingers into the boy's torn stomach, pulling off the thin sheet-like membrane he'd slready cut open. The Uchiha held back a gag as the felt through the blood and fluid, the burn of Kyuubi's chakra that had been protecting the children. He felt blindly, gently until his fingers brushed something. His heart raced, thumping loudly into his ears. Very, very carefully the boy wrapped almost tender fingers around the tiny, curled body, pulling it out slowly. His wrists were splashed with blood, stark garnet against the creamy alabaster and the purplish of his quickly swelling finger. It made him sick. But-

Obsidian eyes glimmered as they took first sight of the small figure. A baby. His baby. His heart was soaring into his throat, making it rough and painful. None of that mattered. It was his baby. A little girl.

She wasn't crying. The child looked pale and purple covered in goo and blood, utterly silent and motionless. Sasuke panicked. But he kept himself in line as he rushed the girl to the warm water, cleaning her little chest and limbs, stroking her back with the steaming water, rubbing it down. He had to…had to…Sakura had said to stimulate the child if it wasn't crying, or its lungs were blocked with something. Sasuke was about to check the child's throat when he heard a whimper, then a full-blown cry. He let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"Sasuke…" Sasuke whirled to Naruto, cradling his child in strong, trembling hands. She was so tiny; she fit so perfectly, cupped in his hands. His beautiful little girl.

Naruto groaned, features twisting again in pain. Back to the gruesome present. Clearing his head the boy quickly wrapped his screaming child in a blanket, handing it off tenderly to Naruto. The blonde cooed despite his pain, eyes suddenly alert and soft as he reached a tan, shaking hand to gently caress the tiny head of thin, wispy black hair. Then he bit his lip, letting out a panting breath he'd been holding in through the pain.

The epiphany of love at first sight that had seemed like hours for Sasuke had actually been only a few tense seconds in reality.

He kneeled back in position when something inhumanly powerful smashed through the door in a blur of pink. It took only a second for Sakura, green eyes wide, panting mouth slightly agape, to fully take in the situation and completely take over. She rushed to the boys, pulling disinfectant and other tools from a hidden cubby in the wall on her way. Sakura disinfected her hands and pulled on sealed gloves, pushing Sasuke gently to take over.

"Sasuke" the girl barked as the raven turned to her "I need you to wash and disinfect your hands immediately, even if you already have. I'm taking no chances here. Naruto, you're doing great. Breathe, breathe, stay awake."

Sasuke rushed to get his job done as he pulled on an extra pair of gloves, not wincing as hepulled the latex roughly over his broken finger and settled back next to Naruto. Pained blue eyes reached his and gloved fingers wrapped around Naruto's shaking ones, stroking back the boy's matted bloody hair from his sweaty forehead. The raven tenderly took the baby from his lover's hands, cradling her in the crook of one arm as the other hand held Naruto's.

"Breathe, Naruto. Good job, it's almost over, it's almost over, look!" The girl held up the second child. Sasuke's breath caught in his throat. It was a little boy, his skin a bit more peachy even through the coating of blood and entrails. After a quick peek the girl dipped the baby in the warm water, rubbing until a few soft cries could be heard. Sasuke smiled the tiniest bit; in the first few minutes after birth and they were already so different.

"One more!" The girl's eyes were bright with excitement and exertion as she wrapped the softly crying boy in a blanket, handing him off to Sasuke as Naruto panted, looking more than a little pale. He still managed a small, shaky smile as he met his second born. He didn't have the strength to hold him, so Sasuke adjusted himself so that he could hold both whining babies as well as stroke his weak, exhausted lover's scarred cheek.

"It's okay, Naruto you're almost done. Look, look how beautiful they are." Sasuke smiled gently down as he thumbed the boy's cheek, over his fluttering eye lids. Black eyes turned back to Sakura as she pulled out the last baby, Sasuke's breath caught in his throat.

He was a blonde. He was a little blonde boy, covered in blood and fluid. He was as pale and ghostly as his oldest sibling. But the most prominent thing about the little boy was just how purple he was. Purple and motionless.

Sakura barely wasted a second getting the child into the water, scrubbing his back, his chest, his limbs, nothing. Not a sound. No movement.

"Sakura how is he? Why isn't he crying?"

Naruto couldn't see over his stomach and legs, the boy tried to sit up but Sasuke pushed him gently back, shaking his head. He squeezed Naruto's fingers. Green eyes flashed up for a panicked second and Sasuke's heart sank to the lowest pits of hell.

His baby, he would be alright, right? He would be okay.

The girl pulled out a small instrument that looked like a balloon on a particularly thick string, shoving it unceremoniously into the baby's mouth and pumping the balloon, squeezing it several times. She tried the nose, still nothing. With another panicked look the girl concentrated, pushing the device further down into its throat and squeezing.

And the most blessed sound erupted. The cries were soft but piercing, growing steadily louder until they were nearly the same decibel as his sister, who was now whimpering softly. When the child was crying Sasuke watched as the girl blew a ragged sigh of relief before wrapping the baby and handing him off to the raven.

He was beautiful, like his mother; the most beautiful golden flax hair that wisped thinly on his crown, pale smooth skin like his father. Sasuke smiled down at his third and final baby before bringing him close to his panting, pale, exhausted mother. Naruto could only smile softly, gently caressing his crying baby's face before turning back to the ceiling, blue eyes drifting closed.

Sakura immediately began healing the boy, extracting the excess fluid in his stomach and at the same time holding a glowing green hand over his torn belly.

"Sasuke, Sasuke you need to keep him awake until I finish. He has to stay awake." Sakura said it with pity in her eyes as her best friend groaned weakly, pale features twisted at his fate.

"Naruto" Sasuke lent over his blonde, reaching to support the boy's arms as he gently placed the little blonde in his mother's hold "Hold him. Stay awake for a little longer. Look, he stopped crying."

It was true. The child quieted to faint whimpers and at last a tired sleep as his mother rocked him, arms held still and supported by his father. Naruto managed another small smile as Sasuke settled in place behind him, the blonde nestled warmly and comfortably between his legs as he placed the other two children in his mother's arms, feeling the boy lean back heavily against him.

Sasuke smiled again for what was probably a record amount in his life, all in the span of a few hours. He hid the tiny, true smile in the crook of his lover's neck, feeling the boy relax against him further, matted blonde head lolling back to rest on his shoulder.

Sasuke whispered in the boy's ear, listening to his strong heartbeat. Naruto was going to be okay.

"It's over, Naruto. It's done, you did great." He stroked the boy's small wrist, kissing what he could reach of the boy's cheek. "Look at your babies, Naruto. They're ours." Sasuke looked over the small, pinched sleeping faces of his children; two little boys and one beautiful little girl.

"Sasuke…" the boy's whisper was a ragged pant as he sighed out the rest of his last frantic breath. Sasuke felt the boy's thin frame press back against his chest.

"They're beautiful."

The raven smirked a bit against the boy's ear, pressing his lips gently against the flushed skin.

"Of course."

"Arrogant bastard."

"Naruto…" Sasuke flushed lightly, burying his embarrassingly pink face in the crook of his lover's neck, arms pulling his new family closer. He couldn't stop saying his name.

"I love you." The boy in his arms chuckled weakly, sighing for the umpteenth time that night.

"I love you too, asshole."

Sasuke smirked as the boy's pale head finally released consciousness and he snored lightly on the tall boy's shoulder. Sakura looked up at him, smiling proudly with her own tint of pink about the tender moment. He only smirked wider, stroking the boy's matted golden hair, though careful of his now giant finger. The dull pain was nothing to what Naruto had just accomplished.

After a second someone could be hear limping through the door; both conscious shinobi tensed, until they saw a familiar sharp grin and nervous, flushed pale features.

"Hey Sorry-" Sakura shushed him, although it was unnecessary with Sasuke's killing glare. Slit eyes widened to unbelievable dimensions as the boy took in the sight before him; blood pooled and splattered everywhere, staining everything, a bloody washtub and towels, Naruto's blood-crusted stomach.

His gash was still visible, although now sealed over and healed quite a bit. And most of all the three sleeping babies wrapped in Naruto's unconscious arms, supported by the messy Sasuke's grip. The boy gaped along with Hinata, whose pale eyes looked similar to saucers.

Sakura turned back to Sasuke. "Get him to a bath while I give the babies a quick check-up. Kiba, Hinata, please take a child so that Sasuke can get poor Naruto to a warm bath; he's had one hell of a night. They both have."

She smiled and Sasuke's eyes lingered on his children as they were passed to the others. Hinata was fine, but he wasn't sure if he wanted his babies manhandled by some mutt. Ebon eyes glared through Kiba in a silent warning as the raven turned back to Naruto, now deeply asleep in his arms.

Pulling the boy up bridal-style to avoid pressuring his stomach too much, the raven wordlessly left the room, striding to the bathroom where he set Naruto down on the tiles gently, turning on the hot water. He collapsed next to the tub, leaning backwards against the ceramic. Black eyes stared at his lover across the bathroom.

Naruto was dirty, he was bloody, he was matted with sweat and tracked with tears. But he was still the most handsome boy. Sasuke smirked, getting to his knees to reach the blonde. The Uchiha peeled off the boy's bloodied, torn shirt, soothing pale fingers gently pulling off the rest of the boy's clothes as the water filled the wide, long tub. Naruto was going to be alright. He just needs some sleep. That was all; he'd still be the same hyper idiot.

Sasuke couldn't help the frown lines that creased his brow with worry, glad Naruto was unconscious. If not, he'd probably never hear the end of it. Simpering despite himself, the raven lifted the boy into the hot water, settling him so he wouldn't slip under, supported by a strong alabaster arm. He reached for the soft soap and rag, applying a bit to the sopping cloth.

Uchiha's didn't bathe people, no matter who they were. Uchiha's didn't worry, they weren't ever in love, and they hated energetic idiots. Sasuke's smirk turned into a genuine smile as he tenderly brushed the dirt off his blonde energetic love's face with the tip of the cloth.

Oh, yes; he was bathing the bouncy idiot who he loved, and was therefore very, very worried about.

The way Naruto changes people.

Sasuke started to pull away to get the soap again when trembling, cool fingers brushed his arm, tugging him down. Naruto's blue eyes were barely open, fluttering as if they were about to close again. Tan fingers gripped his arm weakly. Sasuke felt his heart melt, leaning down to caress the boy's cheek, kissing the wet forehead softly before standing up and stripping, then slipping into the hot water behind his blonde.

He settled them into the same position as before, one pale hand pushing blonde hair from the boy's forehead softly, threading through the tangled gold. The other hand soothingly brushing off the boy's caked blood with the rag and soap. Steam swirled and eddied in the warm air as Sasuke buried his face once again in the crook of his lover's neck, holding him as close as possible without aggravating the injuries. Naruto gripped his cleaning hand weakly, pale fingers gently brushing the purple swollen mess his finger had become.

"Sorry 'bout that." The blonde mumbled and Sasuke rolled his eyes, tugging the small boy ever closer.

"Don't be an idiot. This is nothing."

He loved this way too much. It was dangerous how much he loved this, him. He loved his new family more than anything else in the world. Naruto was so weak right now, but at the same time so immeasurably strong. Why had he ever doubted him? Naruto was like an angel; he made miracles every day. Sasuke tilted the slightest bit to capture pink lips with his own; just for a chaste second, but one that meant the world. He hid his face again. What if something had gone wrong? What if he had hurt Naruto more while cutting him open?

Sasuke shuddered violently at the memory. If that was the hardest thing he ever had to do, then how had he been possibly planning on _killing_ the boy so many years ago? It was impossible. Naruto was the sun. He loved him so much it hurt.

The raven rested his forehead on the boy's shoulder, tightening his arms' hold slightly. He felt the salt in his eyes before it spilled slightly, only enough to mist thick black lashes as he tried desperately to blink them away.

"Don't cry, Sasuke" The tall boy started at the soft sound emanating from his blonde, the warm tan fingers that reached up and back to brush his cheek tenderly.

"Don't cry. It's all alright now. We're finally a family. I'm going to be fine soon, I just need some sleep."

How did he know? Sasuke buried his face further in shame. He should be vehemently denying the fact with oh too familiar cynicism.

"Don't cry, Sasuke." The raven sniffed, flushing at the pathetic sound. This was ridiculous. But he burrowed deeper into his lover's neck, nuzzling the soft, warm skin. He loved this. He loved him. He loved his new family. He was a father.

"Dobe." The word sounded strangled; Naruto chuckled with relief, turning slightly to press his lips against Sasuke's for a bare second before falling lightly asleep.

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Pale aqua shifted back to those lifeless black eyes. It was so gruesome. He should be dead already, freed like Itachi from this bloody world. He should be dead. Why was he still alive? Why did he always seem to escape death so easily?

He actually wanted to die this time, and now, with Kumo practically leveled and Itachi long cold, why couldn't he just let go? Deidara closed clear, almost silvery eyes. Maybe if he just let himself bleed long enough…he opened his eyes again to stare at the head propped up a few feet away. He couldn't stop looking at it. Itachi.

Itachi was dead. That bastard was finally out of his hair. The blonde man smirked, licking the blood off his lips, tasting the coppery, metallic tang. It tasted like dirt, too; damn desert village. He panted, sucking in life-giving oxygen. It was instinctive. He tried not to breathe.

The scent of dead bodies in the afternoon sun was staring to stir, making him feel sick. The head in front of him was already at least four hours dead. It was disgusting. But he didn't want to move. He would die here too. Deidara watched as the last few surviving Kumo nins charged him, sending weapons his way ahead. At least he would die quickly. Or more quickly than his current rate. He watched the weapons come at him with blurring vision, still distorted even after he blinked several times. He was fading. That fate never seemed sweeter. He wanted to shout _'take me, take me now!'_

The blonde snorted. Dying was messing with his brain. Clear silvery aqua eyes were wide for his death, he wanted to see it.

Something slightly heavy landed on him, cawing. A thick black feather landed next to his head. Then another thump as another bird landed on him. So impatient to feed on his carcass. Another, then another, and suddenly the sky was filled with masses of them, swarming at Deidara. They covered his body, cawing roughly in his ears; the noise was deafening. Darkness swirled with feathered patterns in the man's vision, just before it went dark.

'_Take me now, motherfuckers.'_

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**(AN) Wow, so it feels like its been forever and its only actualy been like, eight days? Crazy. Sorry this chapters so short, but hey; getting near the end! Only one more chapter and an epilogue if people want it!**

**Ahh! Hit over 100 reviews! Im soo excited, when i first saw it i screamed i was so happy. lol ive been a bit... strange lately. Blame it on the continuous extreme boredom.**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed**


	16. 16Of Love and Family

Wow. It's actually over. Last chapter special, it's a double! Well, around there anyway. Thank you all for your amazing reviews, i just read through them all yesterday and you guys had me rolling with laughter, tearing up with gratitude, ect. Maybe I'm just a sap or maybe you are all awesome. Either way. ^^

who knew you could put corn and lemon in the same mix? I sure as hell didn't, but here we go. Ah, the wonders of the human brain.

btw. i just charged straight through this one to get it to you as fast as humanly possible, so tell me if there are any mistakes. Remember, all my stuff is un-betaed.

*sniffsniff and without further adue, the last (official) chapter of Of His Effection.

Enjoy.

**16**OF Love and Family

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He was numb. No, it was something beyond numb, more like he was in so much pain, his nerves so shot, he felt numb. And now there was an annoying thing probing his chest, pushing so he couldn't breathe. Wait…he shouldn't be breathing anyways. He should be dead. Damnnit, not again. Why couldn't he ever just die? Now he was probably captured, waiting for his slow tortured death. He didn't want this numbness; he wanted the cool release of a different kind of numbness, one where he wouldn't ever feel a thing again, most prominently this aching pain that continuously stabbed his heart with every flicker of memory that raced through his aching head.

Pale blue eyes fluttered, not quite opening. He should've died there. His body hurt. His head hurt. His heart hurt. This whole 'survival' thing was really starting to piss him off. Why couldn't he just die like other people? Like Itachi seemed to do so easily?

Deidara could feel the matted stick of sweat soaked hair stuck to his forehead. He could feel those probes jabbing him. He would die, but first he would kill whatever sick fuck saved him. Yes, he would torture them to death, slice off their heads and blow up the pieces, sending shattered fragments of staining blood everywhere. The blonde practically moaned with the pleasure the thought gave him. Mm blood…

"How are you feeling?"

Deidara froze mid-thought. No. No, that's ridiculous; blasphemy, travesty, utterly unrealistic. Maybe he really _was_ dead, and he'd come to join the owner of that black satin voice in hell. No, that bastard would probably end up in heaven. So this was heaven? No, too painful for that. The only place left was the perfect mix between worlds, both heaven and hell in the same chaotic little bubble of atmosphere. Earth.

He was alive still, and with this voice- Blue eyes flicked open too fast, over dilated pupils stinging harshly even in the dim candlelight. Fuck he hurt, even more when real consciousness overwhelmed his senses. Deidara squeezed his eyes closed again, thick lashes meshing over clear silver and endless black pupils as he wished this dream wouldn't end. He opened clear blue to stare at thick black lashes, closed eyes lined in pale cream skin. He thought his heart would stop; it was throbbing with such ardency even after the hell he'd been put through.

"Like shit." His voice was rough, unused and sore from screaming the last time he had used it. He was beyond mere disbelief. This was just ridiculous. This was impossible. He saw the body. He felt that presence.

But what about now, with those same exact features, that same exact voice, that same exact feeling he always got around the raven, what about now?

"Itachi," The word felt like purified sugar on his lips, so unbearably sweet it turned bitter. The Uchiha smiled his tiny smile and Deidara's suffering, wounded heart beat harder, pumping more and more pain through his veins.

"You're dead, un." His voice relayed his disbelief. Itachi's small smile disappeared, but the lightness remained in his voice.

"Thanks to you, I am not." The blonde stared, the situation still not fully sinking in. Itachi stepped closer, now pressed up to the nameless, imageless flat surface he was currently occupying. The raven leant down slowly and silver-blue eyes were entranced momentarily by how blue-black hair rustled in the faint wind, it tickled his face as the Uchiha was suddenly an inch away, hot breath blowing evenly into his parted lips.

His breath hitched, his heartbeat quickened, his sore, unmovable body stiffened to relax at the precise moment those soft pale pink lips pressed his and all that tension he hadn't known of vanished from his limbs, the blonde felt himself relax to a level he hadn't known possible, sinking into the light kiss with all the ardency he could possibly display in his half-paralyzed form.

This is a dream, this is a dream, this is just a particularly psychotic hallucination dreamed up by his perpetually pathetic brain. But damn, those saccharine meshed around his bottom lip, tugging gently, intertwining, damn, his imagination was a good kisser. It left him breathless as he forgot to suck in much needed oxygen; now this, this was a way to die. Especially with Itachi being so…fervent.

If Deidara hadn't known better, he would almost get to say Itachi seemed _eager_. The thought was reinforced as the raven above him placed a gentle hand on his jaw, thumbing the marred cream skin of his face, deepening the kiss. The gentle touch brushed a particularly sore bruise and Deidara winced into the heated kiss, blonde brows furrowing he bit those lips with an annoyed grunt.

Reality had come back to bite him in the ass, like always. The raven broke away and Deidara found himself panting for breath and glaring for all he was worth.

"Damnnit, be gentle ya fuck, the hell do ya think I just came from, un? I'm a giant bruise!" He only heard chuckles above him and the blonde purpled. "You're dead! The hell are ya doin' still alive, hm?!"

Itachi sighed; long black lashes tickled the blonde's cheek as the raven stayed close; all this happiness was making him nervous. He was used to Itachi being an gothic prince, all stoic and proud and full of that depressing darkness as he wallowed in woe. No, that was the little brother. Itachi was just a bit better than that.

"Deidara-"

"No ya little asshole, the second I can move you'd better be damn careful, un! I'll beat the livin' shit outta ya so bad ya might really be dead, hm! Then we'll see how ya beg for death then!"

The death glare was running out quickly, dying alongside Deidara's waning, limited reserve of energy.

"Just as soon as you are healed." The blonde felt warm, pale fingers encircle his and fought with himself on whether or not he would curse him out to leave him the hell alone. He just wanted some time to reconcile, but he didn't. He wanted to keep dreaming. So he just refueled his glare, knowing Itachi could feel it prickle his skin, even if he couldn't see it. He reveled in the warmth, in the view of cut alabaster skin he though he wouldn't ever see again. He reveled in the feeling of just how pathetic he really was.

Deidara smiled, glad of Itachi's blindness. The pain had all but disappeared, leaving a shell of a scar behind but the rest was filled with something he wouldn't ever let past his lips.

"How?"

"I used a replacement body at the last second. I sensed you there," The raven looked down for more than a moment "and suddenly had a change of heart."

Deidara nodded, feeling something hammering in his chest, passing it off as an injury. He couldn't be expected to remain clear minded anyways, right? He was practically high off pain.

"Deidara," Itachi's voice was suddenly so warm, so close, so low as hot breath blew in his ear. He was whispering, and for a moment it reminded him of the last thing the raven had said to him, back at the cottage. Blue eyes widened, his heart pounding away painfully in his chest in anxiety. Did he really want to hear this? What the hell happened to freedom? Blue eyes squeezed shut.

"I love you." The curt voice echoed in the air for a long moment before the blonde realized just whose voice it was. He'd said it. He'd said it _out loud_. The crushing shame threatened to send him to another suicide when he felt Itachi's smile radiate with the force of the sun at his face, then the satin voice sending shivers up his spine.

"I love you too, Deidara." He never loved the sound of his own name more. Creamy fingers squeezed pale, the contact adding to the pressure building in his sore chest. This was what Itachi had said before. This was the binding phrase. This was what made him feel so pathetic.

But, the funny thing is, he'd never felt so free.

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Sasuke leant in the doorway, pale features tiredly glowing. He couldn't stop the flow of never ending heat that sprouted from somewhere deep in his chest every time he looked or even thought of them. And Naruto; oh, Naruto. The raven rubbed his face, the lack of sleep for the past few days finally getting to him. His poor blonde had been bedridden for five days as Sakura worked on him, healing the wounds and the serious threat of infection that was constantly looming like the darkest thundercloud, just waiting to rain on their most impossible parade. It was so impossible.

Sasuke hesitated to go back in the room, knowing full well he would probably not be seen outside of it for the rest of the afternoon if he did. The only thing he ever left for was to loiter haplessly around Naruto. The boy was too tired to stay up for too long lately, and Sakura got angry at him every time he stood around doing nothing. Not like he cared about that, usually he just watched the light change behind her, thinking (of course) about Naruto while she lectured him.

A small murmur caught the boy's attention and he was unstoppable, striding into the room with mounting repressed excitement on seeing which pinched little face uttered the breath and using it as an excuse to perhaps hold one. They had decided to name them together, when Naruto was healthy. Sasuke reached the first crib, pale hands clutching the pale painted wood railing with a nervous little exhale. He kept his features as in line as possible.

The first was the tiny raven-haired girl, his first born, his little girl. She was so beautiful, pale snowy skin and a dark, glossy black puff of silk thread hair on her miniature crown. She slept soundly, nestled deep under several warm blankets for the winter with one tiny thumb stuck in her mouth. She was the first Uchiha female born in a very, very long time. Generations, even.

Sasuke looked into the next crib, also a pale off-white painted wood, but this one held the second born. He was tiny, smaller than the others with a tuft of shiny black hair like a mohawk atop his head. His skin was peachier than his sister's ghostly white, more similar to Naruto. The raven smiled. No, not a smirk, a true blue smile not many saw.

Actually, Naruto was most likely the only person other than his late dead family who had seen it more than once or twice. It was once a rare occasion now turned into an occurrence shown every five minutes. The little boy sighed heavily in his sleep and Sasuke's already overflowing heart dipped a little deeper. Sakura had said that this one, the second born, was actually a bit less developed than his siblings, he had probably been cut off slightly from the stream of nourishment due to a general lack of room. The medic had also stated that he might have some future problems regarding his lungs, which were a bit underdeveloped. It would probably be mainly minor, treatable things such as asthma. But that might damage his chances at ever being a shinobi like his parents. A twinge of disappointment and something else, closer to sadness and worry throbbed behind stoic features for a second.

The raven sighed and moved to the last crib. He was an angel, pale ghost skin like his father and wispy blonde locks like his mother, he was so beautiful. They were all so beautiful, and they were all his and Naruto's. They were the living personification of Sasuke and Naruto; they were both sets of DNA perfectly matched and intertwined to make living beings. It was so strange. Sasuke felt suddenly uncomfortable; he was unused to so much emotion at one time. It was harder to handle than previously determined, harder to keep in check.

A weak rap at the door had Sasuke whirling, again one of the only times in life he would ever be caught off guard with his expression in relative pieces. But ruffled blonde hair and still bed sleepy features calmed his heart before starting it again, but this time in hyper speed.

"Naruto," A small, tired smile almost led him to cardiac arrest, Sasuke took a deep breath. What the hell was wrong with him? His children are born and he turns to absolute mush? Beyond pathetic, this was reaching monstrously pitiable proportions.

He did his best to keep his voice not only steady but a little chilly.

"Did Sakura say it was okay for you to be up?"

The smile diminished and Sasuke saw darkness overwhelm for a second. Then the smile was re-posted but with more than a slight mischievous edge.

The boy grinned coyly, stepping shakily towards the raven with a weak leer in his voice "what she doesn't know won't kill her. And plus I'm feeling fine already."

Sasuke only glared, knowing nothing he said would make much of a difference. Still watching closely unless the blonde collapsed or something, the raven waited with an unusual patience as the small boy wobbled at him to lean against the crib as well. The blonde leant in close to his ear as Sasuke felt his nose twitch.

"Can you believe they _came out of me_?" A black, questioning stare sent Naruto into a slightly embarrassed explanation.

"Um, you know, they were_ in_ me, and they were _part_ _of me_ and now here they are, alive and perfect." The blonde slid a bit closer so their elbows resting on the railing touched up to the shoulder. His whisper was disbelieving and intense "I mean; these are _our_ _kids_."

Blue eyes were suddenly gazing straight through him and suddenly the raven was very aware of their bodies so close. It had been over five months after all… the Uchiha shook his head and smirked at the boy.

"Of course they are, dumbass." Naruto rolled his eyes and elbowed him, although it didn't hurt.

"Asshole, you better not start speaking like that around them, or they'll catch your bastard."

"Being a bastard isn't a virus, dobe."

"Are you sure about that, teme?"

Ebon eyes only looked at the smaller boy, who stared right back defiantly. In the end Sasuke smirked and shook his head, turning away to face the sleeping face in the crib murmur and sigh. The warm body next to him pressed closer and a weight rested on his shoulder, bed mussed blonde locks tickling his oversensitive skin.

Naruto exhaled heavily, nudging him. The raven's smirk grew and he turned away from the crib, knocking off the smaller boy's head. Blue eyes faltered for a second before he wrapped warm arms around the boy's small waist gently to not aggravate his new scars. Kyuubi sped the healing process amazingly.

"Sasuke," the boy breathed, closing electric eyes to nuzzle the pale boy's neck. Sasuke hid a shiver at the hot breath against his neck.

"Let's name them." The raven hummed, enjoying the heat from his lover's body pressed so close.

Naruto didn't open his eyes, still leaning heavily on a broad pale chest "Mm…thought of any yet?"

"A few; have you?" The blonde only nodded against his neck. At this rate the boy would fall asleep. Maybe he should let him?

"Are you tired, Naruto?" that did the trick, the blonde pushing off him with a renewed expression and a tireless grin.

"No way, c'mon, let's name them." The boy took his hand and led him to the first crib in line. Sasuke watched through impassive obsidian eyes as the boy looked down at the little face in the crib, then back up at him with the strangest expression. Tan fingers squeezed around his and the raven followed suit and looked back to the baby. It was the girl, sleeping peacefully for the moment.

"Any ideas?"

The blonde whispered conspiratorially, grinning like an idiot. Sasuke looked back down at the girl, millions of unsuitable options running through his mind. This was important; a name said almost everything about a person. This would be what she would be called for the rest of her life.

"How about Harushi?"The blonde looked expectant and Sasuke shook his head, refusing to grimace despite his distaste.

He tried something similar, "Narushi?" Naruto didn't hide his disgust; "That's way too close to my name. It sounds vain and gross. Let's try again with a whole new name, okay?"

Sasuke nodded, although he didn't quite agree. He actually wouldn't really mind having a child named similarly to Naruto or himself. But he shrugged off the feeling for Naruto's next try.

"Minami?" The raven shook his head. "She doesn't seem like a Minami."

Naruto grunted in an irritated agreement. "Let's see what she seems like…" Sasuke turned back to his daughter, inspecting every little aspect of her every movement, her every expression.

"What about Ryuuko; Ryuu for short?" Pulling away his gaze from the girl Sasuke discovered Naruto staring at him, grinning wildly.

"Perfect!" The boy crowed, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Quiet down, idiot."

Naruto only glared, turning back to his daughter "Ryuu it is."

"Next!"

Naruto squeezed pale fingers, which he was still firmly latched to, and dragged the tall Uchiha towards the next crib. This was for the little black-haired boy, the one who was even smaller than his siblings.

"What about him?" Naruto whispered, looking tenderly at his child, who stirred in his sleep like he knew he was being talked about. Sasuke turned his eyes to the child as well, trying the same technique of inspection.

Naruto beamed impishly, elbowing Sasuke softly "Thought about Sarushi?" Sasuke only rolled his eyes. "Idiot" was his whisper.

Then the blonde turned half serious, blue eyes trained on his son's pinched sleeping face. They stood staring in silence for a few moments before Naruto spoke softly;

"Ushio." It wasn't a question but a statement. The name fit perfectly. Sasuke pulled the boy in for a chaste kiss, nodding once in acceptance before pulling their intertwined fingers towards the final crib.

Inside it laid an angel of pale colors; creamy skin with pale blonde hair, wrapped in light blue blankets. He was beautiful.

"There's only one boy I've seen who was this beautiful; inside and out." Naruto looked at him with an incomparable assurance. Sasuke could practically read what the boy was thinking through those large, clear blue eyes.

He said the name Naruto was thinking out loud in a placid voice that held many memories.

"Haku." Naruto lit a blinding smile "yep!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes once again. Maybe the habit would one day develop into some form of turrets. He repressed a shudder as Naruto turned to him, grinning like a mad man.

"I still can't really believe all this." He stepped forward, now inches away from his raven haired lover, who smirked and opened his arms to embrace him. The pale boy leaned in to whisper sultrily into the blonde's ear.

"Would you like me to pinch you?" Sasuke was fully prepared for Naruto to shake him off. But instead the boy only searched his eyes, smiling before yawning and stepping back.

"Let's go to sleep."

Sasuke tilted away, arms crossed with curious eyes as he watched his blonde hurry to each crib-side, tenderly brushing the sleeping bodies with gentle fingers. He didn't look the least bit tired. But Sasuke followed suit anyways, half wondering what in hell Naruto could be thinking behind those glassy blue eyes. There was something naughty in those depths, something that made Sasuke feel like shivering in anticipation. He didn't, of course, but he could have. When they had both finished saying their goodnights, Naruto weaved their fingers together once again, leading them to their room a few feet away.

When they arrived the room was almost completely black, almost completely devoid of even moonlight. There was just enough to see the slightest glimmer in the other's eyes, how the blonde licked his lips, the quick shine off his teeth as he grinned. Naruto collapsed to the futon, pulling the raven down with him. Sasuke settled on the floor, Naruto resting next to him, breathing steadily. He heard sounds of shuffling as the blonde shifted close in the moonlight to whisper in the pale boy's ear. His voice was truly awed, though with a tint of something else entirely.

"Ne Sasuke, can you believe it's been over five months since we did it?" Sasuke's eyes flicked open, which had been momentarily closed.

"You were heavily pregnant, dobe." Ebon eyes tried to make out Naruto's features in the darkness.

The sultry whisper seemed to come from the shadows "I'm not anymore."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing it would do no good in the dark anyways. But his heart still told his sudden excitement, of which he was sure Naruto could tell. Tan fingers had been resting over his heart the whole time; they would have noticed the pickup in tempo. He decided to play along.

"Oh really now," Pale fingers felt their way to Naruto's face, the boy shuddered an exhale under the touch. "I hadn't noticed."

The voice that came from the dark was slightly injured. "Don't be an asshole." The blonde huffed; his pride damaged, and started to turn away.

Sasuke sighed, watching the ceiling as his eyes adjusted to the dark. Of course he noticed. It'd been roughly five days since they were born, and after the first few Sasuke had started to become more and more 'aware' of that precious little fact. But that didn't mean Naruto was all better. Kyuubi or not, five days just couldn't be enough time to fully heal that level of injury. The gash alone had been huge, he knew because he made it.

"Naruto," He started, not really knowing what he was going to say. Things were hard enough as they were without having the blonde practically jumping at him. It was all Sasuke could do to restrain himself from jumping at Naruto, now this? He let out a heavy sigh.

"You're still injured, we can't." The blonde sounded to be about to protest when the raven continued, this time in a lower whisper "Even if we _both_ really want to."

The tall boy lifted an arm to trap the blonde, forcing him to look at him in the dark as he hovered over him. Blue eyes glinted silver in the dim moonlight.

"Check for yourself, I'm healed." The words were a challenge, and Sasuke smirked, shaking his head. He began lifting himself off when warm fingers gripped his own; bringing their hands to push up Naruto's thin sleeping t-shirt. They rested at the base of the new-feeling scar.

"Look, see? She took out the stitches yesterday, remember?"

Sasuke repressed a shiver at the feel, his hands traveling on their own to the spot of immeasurably soft skin that marked the inside of Naruto's jutting hip, that crease found on either side of the boy's torso that ultimately lead down to…Sasuke focused back on the scar, following it's trail, imagining it's new pink weal color. He traced the soft, hairless new skin all the way up until its end and beyond, his hands exploring flesh he hadn't touched in this way for so very, very long. Too long. Sasuke heard his breath escape him in a humming rush. The surface under his palm rippled in goose-pimples.

And then the warm, goose-fleshing skin was torn away as the blonde turned to the side, heaving with fake nonchalant sounds.

"Okay well, goodnight Sasuke."

He tried to bite back the words, but they overflowed and Sasuke gave in to all the voices trying so desperately to convince him Naruto was fully healthy again and ready for _anything_.

"Where's my goodnight kiss?" His smirk was audible.

Naruto groaned as if he'd just woke him up, but twisted his torso so their lips could meet. Sasuke leered into the kiss for a few moments, wondering aimlessly why Naruto always seemed to taste so sweet yet at the same time acidic. It was an intoxicating combination which soon had them both panting, pulling, their lips interweaving. Sasuke took Naruto's bottom lip, sucking and biting then kissing it better, then moving up to deepen their hold.

Pale fingers just barely began their migration back to the soft flesh of Naruto's chest again when the ruffled boy pulled away and Sasuke was left with the most ridiculous feeling of loss. The voice that broke the resonance of panting and similar 'sex sounds' was rough and unsure, cracking in the middle.

"That was more than a goodnight kiss, teme." Sasuke almost groaned. Naruto had the most particular ways of torturing him. He was pretty damn turned on right now and he can't just turn off.

"I thought you were so eager a minute ago, what happened?" Naruto snorted at the boy's silky voice, worn low and inviting.

"You happened." The boy began to turn away again, and was once again trapped and forced into another staring contest. Black eyes glittered through silvery as they stared back, both unrelenting. They stayed like that for a long time, neither moving, neither willing to give up first.

After a while Sasuke smirked. Multitask. The easiest thing and something Naruto could never hope to accomplish. Pale alabaster features moved slowly in the darkness, leaning in close to press their lips together, never breaking his constant stare. Naruto's bottom lip quivered with the strength it took to keep still and in control. But he never lost focus.

"So I take it you've changed your mind?" All he got was a noncommittal murmur before the raven swooped in, kissing the boy with more force though still relatively gentle. But this time the blonde returned the efforts, one large hand gripping the back of the raven's neck, the other clutching his waist Naruto flipped them over, deepening the kiss on his own and pushing them back so Sasuke was half sitting up against the wall.

He traveled hot nips down the raven's neck and Sasuke held his breath to not gasp. Suddenly the blonde was lifting up his shirt, licking and kissing his way up the tall boy's chest with an eerie precision of Sasuke's sweetest spots that lay hidden throughout his entire body. How did he know where to kiss, where to bite? The raven shuddered as a hot tongue peeked out over one nipple, then sharp teeth forced it stiff.

He shouldn't, he shouldn't. He really, really shouldn't it would just get him in more unnecessary trouble…Sasuke choked out his voice, compelling it steady.

"And here I thought you didn't want to." Naruto turned to face him, running calloused fingers through soft black bangs, brushing them from the Uchiha's pale face. The blonde pushed open Sasuke's thighs, pressing himself tightly between them.

He growled into Sasuke's ear; "Mm… of course not, Sasuke." The raven felt the strangest urge to shudder at something unusually predatory in Naruto's voice. He kept himself in check. The blonde smiled and pressed closer, opening Sasuke's legs even wider around him until he was wedged in the tall boy's inner thighs, gripping the strong alabaster neck and kissing under his jaw.

Sasuke huffed, already starting to pant as he gripped that waist closer, tighter. It was pathetic how this new in-control Naruto already had him semi-hard.

"Lift your hips, Sasuke." The Uchiha hadn't noticed the boy's fingers undoing his pants, pulling them down already. He felt flushed, hot all over. This was driving him crazy. Without really thinking about it the raven complied, inching up his waist so the blonde could pull of his pants, then his boxers, exposing his relative hard-on.

Sasuke almost groaned at the loss of friction when the boy pulled away, watching through misty black eyes as Naruto pulled off his own pants then crawled back to lower himself between the pale boy's thighs once again, this time rubbing their erections closer.

Sasuke pulled with one hand at the blonde's elastic waistline, the other fully occupied rolling and pinching the boy's nipple, their mouths busy once again molding and melting together in sugary citrus patterns. Why did Naruto still have so many clothes on while Sasuke was completely naked? It was pissing him off. The tall boy tugged at Naruto's shirt, practically forcing it off the boy's body while the blonde chuckled when it got caught on his head.

"Whoa, wait a second, Sasuke." He pulled it off quickly and leant down to paint hot whispers against Sasuke's arched jaw "Now whose eager?"

The raven pulled back, sending the boy a dangerous death glare.

"Shut up, dobe," He gripped the boy's hard-on roughly, sending a satisfying spasm through the boy's body and he smirked. The expression quickly dissipated into a heated moan as Naruto grabbed his ass, shoving their waists to rub against each other and Sasuke remembered his original necessity.

Pleasure rippled, coiling tightly in his lower abdomen in the foundation for the coming orgasm. He would cum hard; he knew it in how tightly that coil squeezed his insides, sending lightning nerves shooting through his veins. He waded through the building mental density to grasp literacy.

"Take it off." Long pale fingers tugged at the elastic waistline, feeling stupid for trying to not be too enthusiastic. It didn't work and Naruto gave another small chortle against his lips. It was at the momentary break in oncoming pleasure from so many different spots that the panting Sasuke took in the damage toll. He'd lost too much ground.

He was pinned up against the wall, completely naked with his legs spread wide for Naruto's come-ons, flushed and panting hard with a ready and willing moan constantly perched on his lips. His hair was mussed, pushed back from his sweat shined face but for the few adventurous locks that drifted in to stick to his forehead, his cheeks, his neck. He needed to regain control, damnnit.

But, unfortunately for Sasuke, Obsidian eyes took their own will and chose that moment to watch Naruto remove his thin boxers, the last surviving remnant of civility thrown carelessly to the other side of the room. He was sweaty too, blonde locks slightly curling from moisture, slivery eyes looking sultry in the darkness.

"Sasuke," the blonde began, smiling softly.

A beam of moonlight broke over the boy's chiseled face, running down his body, revealing the new line scars that rippled over his abdomen. He crawled back towards Sasuke with sex clinging perceptibly in his eyes. Sasuke shivered, head pressing back against the coolness of the wall, fire rushing through his veins as Naruto reached him.

"You look so pretty, like this." Sasuke froze, his features hardening, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"What?"

Naruto smiled once more, crawling into the space between his legs again.

"I mean look at you," Naruto thumbed the boy's long lashes, his lips, pushing back black bangs for the umpteenth time that night " you make me very, _very_ hot." The words were a whisper, breathed into his ear. Sasuke kept glaring, but sealed his lips before the building insults could break free. Well, all but one. He needed to say _something_ after all.

"You're an idiot, just shut up."

Tan fingers first gripped the tops of his knees, brushing down to run hotly to the raven's high inner thighs, rubbing the track they ran over and over across the sensitive, soft skin, stopping only bare inches from Sasuke's very palpable erection. The Uchiha shuddered, licking his lips. He had to try and take back control somehow, before it was too late. Naruto was already making snide comments about how _pretty_ he was.

"Mm, anything" Naruto brushed his fingers through the soft, wrinkled skin in the juncture between hip and thigh, pushing at it delicately, then moving on to grip the raven's neck for a deeper kiss. Sasuke fought through the clingy pleasure that seeped like rose water into his mind, encasing all thought in a moaning, sweating, searing shade of rouge.

He fought for dominance in the kiss, tongue battling Naruto's, one hand ghosting across the blonde's hardening cock, the other gripping his ass, massaging the sweet curve between thigh and muscle. Before he could slip further back into dominance the blonde broke the kiss, licking Sasuke sweetest spot almost behind his neck, sending spasming shivers across the boy's body; the coiled beast inside squeezed tighter, the foundation building into the finished product quicker than previously hoped.

"Dobe, where the hell are you going?" Sasuke voice was rough, he was panting heavily, still backed up against the wall. Naruto had pulled away, gotten up to stride across the room. His knees drooped apart, misty black eyes watched the muscles in Naruto's back and legs flex with each step, each movement.

He came back with a small bottle. Sasuke swallowed, but the tube was left to rest momentarily a foot away as Naruto lowered himself back between Sasuke's legs, his kisses becoming heavier and longer, sweeter. The raven thrust forward slightly, rubbing their erections together just right and eliciting a satisfying moan from the boy above him. His own pleasure thrummed just inside his lower abdomen, under his belly button, it gave a hearty squeeze that rushed more blood to his already stiff cock.

Long, calloused fingers wrapped around both their erections, clutching them together, pumping once slowly. The friction alone was enough to send Sasuke over the edge, but stubborn as he was his consciousness clung to sanity for all he was worth. He was panting hard by now, breathing through his nose during sugary kisses, moaning and gasping hard when that supply of air became insufficient. The boy pumped again; again it was slower than Sasuke wanted. He licked his lips.

"Naruto…more." He winced at how pathetic he sounded, but the voice that returned was just was broken.

"Demanding, aren't you?" he grinned, but that disappeared after only a second and a twisted expression of pleasure took over. Sasuke heaved, battling the building pressure in his abdomen, one that threatened to explode with the four months he'd held back.

"Fuck…you" Naruto chuckled, but it was distracted as he ran pale fingers across those scars. Blonde hair tickled his cheek as the boy leaned in close.

"Don't you mean, 'fuck me'?" and with that he pumped one last time hard before pulling away from the pink flushed raven. Not even Sasuke could tell whether the tinge was from body heat or an almost constant blush. He was blaming it on body heat either way.

Naruto reached for the bottle and Sasuke shivered, sensing something coming.

"Naruto," he breathed, his voice was rough; he was still pressed up against the wall. "Naruto, what is that?"

Obsidian eyes glinted as dangerously as possible in his current… state. He really hoped it wasn't what he thought it was. That meant it was beyond too late to regain his position. Naruto had him pinned further and further down with every kiss, every touch. The blonde only smiled slightly, eyes unreadable in the darkness.

The boy squeezed a fair amount into his palm. "It'll feel good, I promise." Sasuke watched warily as the blonde crawled closer, into a familiar position. The raven's heart thumped unsteadily in his chest. How did things turn out this way?

But then Naruto braced him in a heart rending kiss and all fears were forgotten, there was only blonde locks, reddened lips, and twitching, caressing fingers. Said fingers wrapped under Sasuke's spread knees, lifting them higher and pulling him away from the wall to lay flat on the floor, legs wrapped shakily around his Naruto's waist. Something similar to nervousness batted the inside of the boy's ribcage.

"Sasuke, trust me." The boy murmured in his flushed ear and Sasuke moaned, their hard-on's rubbing together just right. He loved the feeling of Naruto's bare, shivering flesh against his own. He couldn't answer, just kissed the boy roughly, glad when the blonde kissed him back eagerly.

Nothing could prepare him for the feeling that resonated through him as the boy slipped into his ass, rubbing lubed fingers against his hole. At first, it was a turn off, contrasting greatly and confusingly with the coil in his abdomen that sparked wave after wave of drowning pleasure.

"Naruto," He was cut off before his strangled complain could reach fruition "It will feel good. Just wait a sec."

Sasuke gasped, the finger reaching inside him, touching nerves never touched before. It felt strange, strange but somehow good. The finger dipped a bit deeper inside before pulling out and diving back, into darker depths. Sasuke felt its odd quest past the pleasure that sung in his veins, Naruto trying so desperately to distract him.

The second finger slid in slowly, now much more uncomfortable than the first, digging a bit further, stretching him wider. The pair followed the same pattern as the first, slipping out before diving back in, this time almost reaching something that sent ecstatic shivers curling up his spine. The lube helped a lot, especially as the third finger slid in place, stretching him painfully. He gritted his teeth against a gasp. He would take it like a man, damnnit.

"Are you ready?" Naruto was breathing hard, preparing himself. Sasuke had to remind himself that unless the blonde had been keeping something from him, this was a first for them both.

"No, but I never will be so hurry the fuck up." He growled with as much intensity as could muster in such a compromised state. Doubts were already starting to pop into his mind. The blonde above him grunted, kissing him deeply as he pushed in. At first the pain was prominent, racing through his veins as the boy struggled to keep his slow pace. He slid out almost all the way and then back in, pushing a bit deeper with every thrust.

But building as the pain diminished was the pleasure that raced in circuits around his veins, it compressed against the skin under his belly button, squeezing his insides as Naruto dove inside him once again. This time was deeper than the others, just barely brushing a spot that sent shivers down his spine and fire coursing.

"Naruto..." It wasn't fast enough. He wasn't going fast enough! He wanted more, more- The beast squeezed and Sasuke felt himself falling. No, it was too early, at this rate… Sasuke came hard, the hardest he had in years, releasing in five deep spurts. Naruto slowed, he seemed surprised. Sasuke wanted to die. He should just be stabbed through the heart right there. The boy above him gave a choked chuckle, one Sasuke didn't see past the overheated forearm he'd hid his eyes under.

Sasuke hissed and Naruto resumed kissing his neck, sending waves resonating through the hollow space the beast's lair had become, like his insides had been squeezed so thoroughly they had ejected out as cum and left his body empty. The blonde may have not been saying anything yet, but oh, there would be hell later. At last the boy finished with a loud moan, Sasuke felt the strangest sensation as the liquid filled him. Naruto didn't pull out, just resting heavily on top of him, both panting.

Any second now.

"Sasuke…" The boy began, looking at his face. The boy's chin dug into his bare, sweaty chest. He hated uke. "That good, huh?" The blonde chuckled, tan fingers rubbing his chest soothingly. The raven snorted. Naruto tried again.

"Well, since it's me and all, and it's been like, five months, I don't really blame you."

Sasuke sighed, deciding being moody and sulking wouldn't make things any better. "Dobe; just shut up."

Naruto grunted. "Teme, I'm not the one suffering from premature ejaculation. PE, it's a real medical term; ask Sakura."

"Fuck you."

"Please do." Naruto grinned from Sasuke's chest and the raven rolled his eyes in the dim moonlight.

"Idiot" He breathed, feeling the boy's once stiff hard-on go soft inside him; really the most peculiar feeling. The blonde pulled out, flopping down to lay on Sasuke's bare chest, snuggled comfortably in the crook of the boy's neck. Then there was the distinct sensation of hot cum leaking out of his asshole. Sasuke shuddered, clutching the boy next to him closer.

Naruto reached up, placing a placid kiss on the boy's tender lips before settling back down to sleep.

"Goodnight, Naruto."

"Goodnight, Sasuke." Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes in preparation for the sweet blackness of oblivion.

Faint cries could suddenly be heard from next door, growing in urgency as it was joined by two other to form a wailing chorus. On his chest Naruto groaned loudly, and Sasuke tensed to get up and put some clothes on. It would be a long night.

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The wind was slightly cooler, chapping the three tiny faces with a slight pink. The fire orange sunset was brilliant from their view. One child gurgled happily; blue eyes turned downwards to his arms to smile brightly at the cooing baby cradled there. Ushio made a face and he chuckled. Next to them, Sasuke and Ryuu were having a staring contest. She was barely a week old and already had a good chance of winning.

Ryuu had had Sasuke dangling on a leash since she was born. Naruto smiled at them, at how Sasuke smirked at his baby, giving in and cradling her close to rub his face in her belly, were she grabbed hold of his hair and yanked hard. The blonde swore he could hear the raven yelp.

Sakura giggled at Haku on Naruto's other side, where he was murmuring happily, playing with her fingers and mesmerizing her with large obsidian eyes. He turned back to Sasuke. They had talked last night, about everything. Naruto thumbed the black rubber ring around his finger. It was even more worn now, and the skin under it all white in contrast to his usual deep tan.

Sasuke had been really worried about his brother. Who wouldn't be? And yet he had decided, before he had told Naruto, that he wouldn't look for him. He wanted to just forget everything. They had fought about it for awhile, Naruto not wanting him to. He should try to make things right with his brother if he really was still alive; they should talk it out.

But then again, that's why it wasn't Naruto's decision. Ushio gave a soft cry to get Naruto's attention; he had zoned out, staring into the vibrant orange sunset. They were outside on a red and white checkered blanket, watching the sunset and Kiba, Akamaru and Hinata play in the valley below their hill. The remnants of a picnic sat strewn in one corner, just waiting for the local ants to carry them away.

Naruto sighed, cuddling his baby closer, watching as slightly more narrow bluish eyes stared back up at him. Sakura said they would most likely stay that deep indigo color, seeing as his brother and sister already sported pure black eyes.

The sun glowed, showing how happy Naruto was for him, since he couldn't possibly burn that bright. His whole family was right here. And that included Tsunade; she had sent a letter welcoming the babies into the world, telling the new family they could come to their real home soon. She congratulated Naruto for being so strong and Sasuke for 'for once not being a total dick and a coward.' He grinned. Every baby gave a little coo.

Ryuu's was loud, happy; Ushio's was softer, gentler, Haku's was loud and strong. They all had such separate personalities. They were all so perfect. With his spare hand Naruto reached to interweave Sasuke's fingers with his own.

Each had lived life alone, but now, now they finally had a family.

* * *

**(AN) Its over! ****I feel like crying and jumping for joy at the same time. It's weird. Well, it doesn't have to be _completely_ over... epilogue anyone? Tell me if you want one!**

**Please please please review, all those who don't usually review, this is the last chapter, please take the few seconds to write a few words. It really makes the people writing feeling amazing, i know from experience lol. Its crazy how this is the third story over 5,000 words that i have ever written in my whole life, the second i've finished and it got past 100 reviews! it would be beyod great if i could reach a little higher still. **

**Anyways, i love you all! And again, please show me you love me back by taking the few seconds to write a review for an epilogue.**

**Love & Kisses.**

**Bright Eyed**


	17. Epilogue: Of the Five Year Old Family

okay so it's the real ending this time! Thank you all for so many great reviews! You were so amazing i sat at my laptop all day and just churned this one out. So sorry if there are mistakes, as usual. This is just a little quip of their own special happily-ever-after. So there's gunna be a whole hellofalotta corn. Warning you now. That's what happens when i write too much happiness at one time.

Enjoy!

**Epilogue**: Of the Five Year Old Family

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"Damn-"

"Dang," Sasuke added from where he leant on the wall, arms crossed, still looking at the defiant children before the blonde. Naruto glared at the man for a second before continuing.

"Dang it, Haku! Why, why do you keep doing this stuff?" He threw up his hands just for emphasis. A little chortle behind the little blonde boy and blue eyes locked on narrow, thickly lashed black.

"You too, Ryuuko!" The girl was instantly serious, a slight blush coloring her round cheeks. "Don't think you're not in trouble too! I know you had just as big a part of this as Haku!" A whimper came from behind the girl and dark, almost black blue eyes peeked out. The little boy was quivering, clutching his big sister tightly from behind.

"Ushio, you're in trouble too; you shouldn't just follow what your brother and sister tell you to do!" The boy whimpered again, nodding furiously and Naruto gave a sigh. How many times had he yelled at Haku for stuff like this?

He looked back the result of the 'incident' or 'prank'. The kids, led by Haku once again, had spray-painted arrows on the streets and on walls, advertising free stuff and easy to win gambling and such. They then set up a small shop where they cheated all (not to mention _adult_) customers out of every penny they had.

Naruto looked at the huge pile of cash on the table, out the door where the victims sat shivering in their underwear, then back at big black eyes and pale yellow hair. How could one five year old cause so much trouble? Ryuu elbowed her little brother with a coy smirk and Naruto changed his previous assessment. How could two five year olds cause so much havoc? The blonde shook his head, sighing exasperatedly.

A little chorus of angel voices sounded below him and Naruto glanced down to see them all at their usual cherubic apologies. "We're sorry Daddy; we won't do it again." They only called him dad when they wanted something.

Naruto scoffed, knowing the only real apology came from the Ushio, who stood a few inches shorter than his siblings, quickly losing his battle with incoming tears.

Sasuke pushed up from where he leant against the wall, away from the situation, looking seriously at his children. Maybe when Sasuke got involved they would listen. The raven-haired man knelt, still serious, in front of the triplets and sat one hand heavily on Haku's shoulder, the other on Ryuu's on the opposite side. His eyes glittered as they moved from one little face to the next, encompassing them all in a tense little bubble.

"You're all very sorry?" All children nodded furiously. His pale face broke into a small smile and all the kids rushed to embrace him, their little arms wrapping tightly around the tall Uchiha's alabaster neck, kissing and snuggling. Naruto sighed; what was he expecting?

Sasuke's low satin voice whispered to his children after awhile. "Now, go apologize to Naruto again. Make it real this time."

And suddenly they were all gone from the raven, rushing to crowd their mother's knees, clutching his pants and nuzzling their faces in the cloth. Ushio had lost his battle long ago and was now squeezing fat tears from quickly swelling eyes. Naruto didn't miss the little victorious smirk that decorated Haku's handsome face and Ryuu's beautiful one.

The blonde gave in, kneeling down to hug and kiss each chubby cheek before getting up and assigning punishments; mainly just that they give all the money back. He didn't miss Haku stuffing a few bills inside his shirt and Ryuu shoving an entire wad down her pants. Then she turned and held Ushio's shaking hand supportively, smiling at the boy.

Naruto glared at Sasuke and walked into the kitchen, grabbing some dishes and dumping them in the dishwasher. The raven followed suit, but he wrapped an apron around himself and stared the dishes.

"You're too easy on them you know. They're spoiled rotten." He only got a smirk from the tall man.

"And you're too hard sometimes. Who would have known you'd be the strict one, dobe."

Naruto ignored the chuckle and punched the raven in the arm. "It was just my turn tonight. And only with some stuff. But I mean, how do five-year-olds get into these things? A rigged gambling house?" Blonde hair shook in the florescent lighting as the boy scratched his head exasperatedly.

Sasuke only shrugged. "They are our kids after all; of course they'd be so smart. I think Ushio's close to developing his sharingan. I saw it flash when we were training earlier."

"So soon?" The raven nodded. "Ryuu too, but hers might take a while longer. Haku will as well."

"Incredible; just think of the messes they'll cause then." Naruto leant back against the counter as Sasuke finished up, wiping large pale hands on the pastel pink apron before untying it and setting it on the counter. He stepped towards Naruto and the blonde felt heat flash through his chest as long arms wrapped around his waist. He rested an aching forehead on the stony chest, eyes fluttering closed. A little ripple of excitement had him shivering.

"Are you nervous?" The raven whispered in his ear, hands rubbing circles across the man's back. Yes, very much.

"No. I'm the one who proposed anyways; _you_ should be the nervous one." Naruto thumbed the white-gold band that warmed his skin. It was tomorrow. He repressed another shudder.

"Hn." They just sat there for a while until Haku walked in, they both turned, seeing him make a face of pure horror and run back out. Sasuke chuckled and Naruto sighed, his head falling back to the cradle of his shoulders.

Pale fingers reached his jaw to pull him into a deep kiss when a few cries could be heard from deep in the Uchiha Compound mansion. Naruto groaned and Sasuke sighed. Ryuu came bounding in, looking nervous from the news Haku brought about their parents getting nasty.

"Um…the twins are up, daddy." Sasuke pushed back from where he had Naruto pressed against the counter, going over to rub his only daughter's silky black hair.

"I know, Ryuu. I'm going to check them now." She beamed and Naruto felt something pull in his chest at how incredibly soft Sasuke's expression got, he'd practically melted to butter with just his daughter's smile. It was a very nice thing to see. She would soon become the biggest brat. Naruto smiled in defeat and closed his eyes for a moment, popping them open to watch the rest. It was addicting, cheesy as it was.

As if to add to the effect Ryuu leaned over and planted a big kiss on her father's cheek; Naruto watched through curious eyes as the raven became a collective puddle on the floor. More urgent cries from the other end of the house woke the man and he stood again, turning to face Naruto for a second, features still soft before walking to tend to the twins.

Ryuu looked after her dad before turning to her mother, beckoning with thick little fingers for him to lean down. She cupped her hands around the boy's ear and tried her best to whisper.

"Everybody thinks daddy's scary, but me and you know the truth," She giggled before continuing "He's really squashy inside like Ushio."

Naruto snorted a laugh before nodding and the little girl followed suit, then planted a kiss on his cheek and running off to enjoy her last few conscious moments before bedtime. He really hoped she wouldn't be so liberal with her kisses in the future; with her looks, she would have the entire academy, no, the village at her feet. He smiled, watching her run down the hall in a whirl of long, spiky black hair.

The crying from across the house had stopped but Naruto walked up the stairs anyways, hand resting on his stomach out of habit. When he reached the second story he made his way to the twin's room, where he saw Sasuke rocking one to sleep in his arms.

The blonde leant against the doorframe, blue eyes watching the rare tender scene. The twins had happened like their older siblings; on accident. Sasuke, a six month mission and a broken condom just don't make for smart decisions. He smiled at the memory. Unlike their older siblings, the twins were identical whereas the triplets were fraternal. They looked exactly alike except for one thing; one was blonde.

It had mystified even Tsunade, who had acted as OBGYN this time. So far they were blaming it on Kyuubi's ever present influence. Said influence was very carefully marked on each little miracle face it had produced; very faint whisker marks became apparent on each child after the age of one, visible only against direct sunlight. The two-year-old twins had them too.

Naruto pushed against the frame to walk into the room, touching his fiancé on the shoulder to announce himself. Sasuke smirked at him from around the little raven haired child he held and the man smiled back, looking into the walled bed. The twins would not sleep unless in the same bed; they had learned that out of experience and many sleepless nights in the beginning. Inside, big stormy blue eyes stared up at him and Naruto smiled. Youuji smiled back. Yuuki grunted in Sasuke's arms.

"Daddy," The boy's small voice came, still very groggy. "Youuji kicked me." Obviously the cries had come from Yuuki. The boy stared impassively from the bed, pale features smooth of guilt. Naruto picked the boy up, loving it as those chubby little arms wrapped around his neck.

"Youuji, is that true?" He murmured and the boy nodded, still not looking the least bit affected. "Then you need to apologize to your brother." Gray-blue eyes stared at Naruto's for a long moment before the boy faced his twin.

"Sorry, Yuuki." The raven grinned, instantly forgiving his blonde counterpart.

"It's okay."

Naruto sighed in relief. "Alright, now that this is settled, you both need to get some sleep. We all have a very big day tomorrow." He looked animatedly at each knowing little face.

"Can you tell me what's happening tomorrow?" The twins looked at each other before answering simultaneously. "Mom and Dad are getting married." They'd heard about it so much it was an unexcited statement. Naruto broke into a grin and Sasuke smirked as the boys giggled.

"Alright, now give your mother a kiss goodnight." Naruto glared and Sasuke effectively ignored it, leaning his charge in so the boy could plant a wet kiss on his cheek, tiny arms wrapping around his neck for a second before they switched and everyone ended up with two wet spots. Putting the boys back into their bed and switching off the lights, Naruto strode from the room to be almost knocked over in the hallway by a train of running toddlers.

"Hey," Sasuke barely called and all three stuttered to a halt, turning back half-fearfully. "No running when your mom's like this. You know the rules." The raven-haired man came from behind; ignoring Naruto's rolling eyes and burning temper to weave a hand under the other man's arm, massaging his overheated stomach. All three heads nodded and they kept running again.

"You," He looked at Sasuke seriously, blue eyes burning "Mom my ass. Call me Daddy." Sasuke raised one eyebrow and the blonde growled. Sasuke broke the tense moment with a kiss and no promises.

"Five minutes before bed!" Naruto called, shaking his head with a wide grin; his hand rested over Sasuke's on his stomach. Their latest and final. This one had been after a particularly dangerous mission coupled with Naruto's becoming the next in line for Hokage.

There hadn't even been a condom this time, thinking stupidly that Kyuubi would be more than satisfied with_ five_ kids already. They were very wrong; but at least this one was a single. That and, although it was too early for an ultrasound, Naruto had a 'feeling' it would be a girl. It would be a girl and she would have flaming red hair, like so many of the older generation said Naruto's mother had had. He smiled, playing with the band on Sasuke's warm finger.

Thinking about it all always made little nervous shivers crawl up his spine. So much had happened in the past five years, it was hard to keep it all in check. He took a deep breath and stretched, walking into the kitchen to turn off the lights.

Leaning against the wall, Naruto took a deep breath. This was his life; blissfully happy to the point of it being scary. One person wasn't meant to be this happy all at once; it had to mean that something bad was going to happen soon. A bubble of nerves shivered up his spine, sending steel butterflies ricocheting off his chest.

"There's nothing to be nervous about, dobe." Sasuke walked in, already changed into some black sweatpants to sleep in.

Naruto only glared "I'm not nervous, teme." Narrow black eyes glittered in the moonlight and Sasuke smirked. "Hn."

Blue eyes closed in a foxy grin as Naruto tried to make himself feel better "Let's go to bed; we have a big day tomorrow." He reached out, wrapping tan fingers around pale to lead the man down the hallway to their bedroom. Faint crayon drawings marked the whitewashed walls.

Yes;

Six kids.

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His stomach was about to burst out his mouth; he could feel the acidic stain burning the back of his throat. His collar was choking him. The small crowd of people they stood in front of stirred and Naruto stopped walking, coming to a halt in front of the alter arm in arm with the guy he would spend the rest of his life with.

He gulped, hands twitching. Sasuke looked as impassive as ever, pale features not giving anything on his feelings. Black eyes were just as blank. Naruto's mouth was dry; he felt his tongue stick to the roof of it as he wriggled it around. Tsunade looked radiant and professional in her dark blue dress, her hands busy with book of her lines. They both wore white. It had been a game of rock-paper-scissors, one that would decide whether they wore all black (Sasuke's idea) or all white (Naruto's idea tweaked from orange by Sasuke).

Initially Sasuke was about to win and Naruto, feeling a defeat he could and would not agree with, thought quickly and tackled the man, beating him into submission. They ended up wearing white. He raised a hand to tug at his collar and Sasuke whispered across the space between them.

"Quit fidgeting," Naruto glared at him nervously, and Sasuke gave a little smirk "It's going to be fine."

The blonde nodded once and took a deep breath, looking out over the people. He couldn't look at Sasuke or he'd break out sweating even more. The raven-haired Uchiha was stunning beyond measure in his all-white tux, and Naruto could practically hear every woman in a several mile distance's drool puddle on the floor below them in awe. Imagine being less than a foot away from such glory; the damn bastard.

So instead of blinding himself looking at Sasuke while Tsunade talked, the blonde grazed blue eyes over the audience. It had been entirely Sakura's fault they were having a real wedding, both men had just wanted a courtroom and the legal document. Oh, and the week off from missions that constituted their honeymoon. But hell, life never comes quite the way you want it to. A little hand waved from the front row and blue eyes were drawn to Haku, who was sitting looking supremely satisfied with himself snuggled deep in Sakura's silver dress-clad lap, his little playboy blonde head resting comfortably on the pillow of her breasts.

Naruto grinned at him, then at his other children who sat in various seats and laps in the front row, watching attentively as their parents finally got married. He was brought roughly back to the present when Sasuke announced something, grabbing the surprised man's hand with a smirk, pushing the white-gold wedding ring on. Black eyes stared through him intensely and Naruto cleared his throat. It was his turn already.

The man took hold of his love's pale hand, his own calloused tan one singling out the boy's ring finger. Sasuke's hands were shaking. The blonde looked up to Sasuke's impassive face, wide blue eyes searching. So Sasuke had been just as nervous as him. He grinned, pushing the ring unto the Uchiha's finger.

"I do." He shuddered; those were ominous words. But Sasuke chose that second to break into a tiny smile and all doubts Naruto had festered flew away swiftly, Tsunade uttering something about kissing but the blonde already had his hands gripping the handsome raven's face, bringing their lips crashing together in their first marital kiss. It was a good kiss. It was a binding kiss.

The crowd roared to life from the chains of boredom and the couple stared at each other; Naruto grinning, Sasuke smirking. All five kids rushed up the steps to the altar, grabbing and pulling at their parents to look at the new rings or steal Tsunade's book or yell their congratulations.

Far away from the commotion, sitting on a pale blanket in the mid-spring sunshine sat a dark haired man who smiled lightly from where he sat, looking at the backs of his eyelids as the blonde next to him described the ceremony.

"And now they're all bloody messes, there's limbs everywhere, hangin' off the arch, the alter covered in gore. A sight to see, un." Itachi chuckled and Deidara huffed.

"Look like ants, un. I wonder what they look like exploding from way up here, hm?" Itachi only smiled at Deidara, hearing his heart speed up.

"That would not be a good idea, Deidara." The little boy at their side quipped in, grinning.

"Yeah, that'd probably send Daddy's moody little brother into a depression." Deidara growled at the boy, smacking him hard upside the head.

"You shut up, un! Who said ya could talk, eh? I still haven't forgiven ya, ya little brat." The boy whimpered and rubbed his head. Itachi reached to squeeze Deidara's fingers, then extended a hand to his adopted stray son.

Below them, inside the Uchiha compound the reception had started. Naruto grinned wider as Iruka made his appearance, then the grin disappeared into a look of recent trauma when Kakashi appeared behind the teacher, whispering something in his hear that spread a wide blush across his cheeks.

Naruto shuddered at the sight; he'd visited Iruka spontaneously a few months ago and well… there was nothing more to say other than that he'd left running. It would be a while before he could look either man in the eyes without blushing or itching to run. Beside him Sasuke sighed deeply, running pale fingers through black silk locks in social exhaustion. Sasuke didn't like people, and all these people coming up to congratulate them were obviously getting on his nerves.

The people were all tentative in their well wishes, the ones who didn't know the couple very personally anyways. No one wanted to risk upsetting Konoha's most powerful Anbu captain to date or his new spouse, the next in line soon to be Rokudaime. He grinned a silent encouragement to the brave supporters, shaking their hands and such.

Something crashed in the distance and Naruto tensed, blue eyes flashing up to view something he really rather not have. All their kids- He groaned loudly, Sasuke chuckled behind him as the blonde pulled them to the crime scene.

Their wedding cake was now a whitish blanket coating two giggling two-year-olds who played in it like it was snow, rubbing frosting into each other's faces, one black-eyed blonde who was stuffing his face, grinning and high-fiving his older sister, who grinned equally widely, long black lashes fluttering their new sugary white coating, and one blue-eyed, tan little boy who chortled with his siblings in the cake bath.

Naruto felt large fingers intertwine with his and he looked back, exasperation clear in his eyes. Sasuke only chuckled at him and the blonde man sighed and smiled impishly, leaning over to do the unthinkable.

Long tan fingers scooped off a large chunk of frosting, grinning and hurling it to his husband's shocked pale face. He giggled, followed by a very unmanly snort as Sasuke wiped his face, looking seriously at Naruto as he swabbed the man's tan face with the remnants.

He laughed aloud, watching amusement sparkle Sasuke's eyes as the children learned the new game and started flinging cake at the various guests, from Tsunade to Sakura to Iruka to Gaara, everyone ended up with a little cake in the face. Naruto's face and tux were covered by the end, as was Sasuke's, but neither noticed, too busy taking the first savor of their cake. Naruto grinned at his new husband, leaning in for another taste.

He'd never seen Sasuke so excited over something so sweet.

**END.**

* * *

**(AN) That's right; END. I have sucessfully self-produced enough corn in this chapter to feed all the hungry in the world. Again i say ah, the wonders of the human brain elude me.**

**So sad. V.V **

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing my story! I love you all forever.**

**Love.**

**Bright Eyed.**

**btw. Look out for my new story coming soon! ^^ **


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